Out of the blue
by vinkunwildflowerqueen
Summary: Fiyero Tiggular wanted to make an entrance when he turned up to Shiz University. His driver running over another student wasn't exactly what he had in mind. And he definitely wasn't expecting what would come of that. Shiz-era, AU, musicalverse, Fiyeraba. Check out the companion piece "Public Enemy Number One". Read the complete trilogy with "Three Leaps Ahead" and "40 Weeks".
1. Chapter 1

**Out of the Blue**

**By Vinkunwildflowerqueen**

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. Hey, guys! Here we are, a new Fiyeraba (the first one I'm posting from my new home!). I really like this story, and a lot of the lines in it. Hope you guys do too! Feel free to share your favourite lines in your reviews!**

**And to everyone who has voted for me in the Fifth Annual Wicked Awards... thank you so much. It's a huge honour, and it really means a lot to me that you've loved my stories enough to nominate them against some of _my _favourite stories! Voting closes Feb 8th, don't forget!**

**This story is dedicated to my special group of Twitter friends who have been dying to read this story for a really long time, and I wouldn't let them :P So to Julia, Kelly, Shauna, Liana and Micheala, I hope it's everything you were hoping for and that it doesn't disappoint. **

**This story is different than anything I've written before (in more ways than one), mostly because it's pre-DTL, so no Lion Cub and Galinda and Elphaba aren't even friends! I hope you all enjoy it. I think it also moves a bit slower.**

**And I'm going to apologise in advance because there's several moments you guys are going to hate me, I think… and I'll get horrified reviews, and I'll laugh (sorry, but true). This isn't the same "you're going to hate me" as in _Taking Chances _(meaning no miscarriages or near death experiences- I know, it shocked me too); but you will. If you're interested, I'm referring to chapters 14, 16 and 18. **

**Chapter One**

Fiyero had never had any trouble sleeping. He could sleep with loud noises, bright lights, standing up, Oz he could practically sleep with his eyes open!

It was a skill born of having to attend rather dull royal functions his whole life and travelling with his parents throughout the Vinkus. This skill had been honed in the last three years, when Fiyero had found himself attending classes hung-over or having not slept the night before.

So, he had no trouble sleeping now in his carriage as his friend and driver, Avaric, drove towards Shiz University- the fifth Fiyero would attend in two years. And yes, he was both slightly hung-over and sleep deprived; some of his classmates had thrown him a spectacularly swankified going away party the night before, which had ended with Fiyero's arms around the prettiest girl in the room watching the sun rise.

Fiyero knew there was something about sunsets that girls found incredibly romantic, and Fiyero had found through experience that sunrises worked even better! So, here he was, sleeping soundly, his sunglasses on to keep most of the sun's glare away and stop his head from exploding.

He didn't even notice the bumpy road and wild turns- he was more than used to Avaric's sometimes wild and bordering on reckless driving, and he was reliving his memories from the night before with…. Mikkeline, that was her name…. he was pretty sure. Whoever she was, she had been the perfect way to end his brief stint at Vinkus University.

And he was already planning his grand entrance to Shiz University. Fiyero had never been enrolled in a new school for more than an hour before planning a grand welcoming party, where he could "educate" his fellow students on his "Dancing through life" philosophy, where of course, he would be accompanied by the most attractive girl on campus.

Maybe this time, he'd actually attempt going to classes- his father had been pretty mad when Fiyero had been asked to leave his last school.

Was it _his _fault the iconic stonework on the library building had mysteriously gone missing the same night Fiyero had taken it upon himself to throw a small get together? Well, the Headmaster thought so, even though Fiyero claimed his innocence. Apparently, "I don't even know where the library is" isn't a _great _defence.

Fiyero's older sister, Kastle had pulled him aside before Fiyero had left.

"Can you at least _try _and behave for at least a semester?" she'd begged. "I think you're going to give Dad a heart attack at any moment, and I _really_ don't want to be Queen just yet."

Fiyero had rolled his eyes, but promised to try.

He grimaced now as the carriage made a particular jolting movement, then came to an abrupt spot, but he kept his eyes closed. If Avaric wasn't his oldest friend, regardless of the fact he was a servant, Fiyero would request a new driver. Driving wasn't exactly a special skill of Avaric's.

When the carriage door opened, Fiyero made no sign of life except to jerk his head away from the sun now pouring in through the doorway, killing his head. Then he felt someone shaking him urgently.

"Sir? Sir? Fiyero!"

Sighing in frustration, Fiyero opened his eyes and raised his sunglasses to glare at his friend.

"Avaric, I'm trying to sleep here!" he complained. "What _is_ it? Are we here already?"

Avaric's face was white and he was shaking.

"Well, we are, but that's not why… there was a girl. And I didn't see her in time and she…"

Fiyero sat up, his annoyance fading. "Av, what happened?" he asked urgently.

Avaric could only gesture, and Fiyero climbed out of the carriage, part curious, part worried. There was a girl- well, young woman really, lying unconscious on the ground next to the carriage. She was dressed a navy blue skirt, a blue blazer and brown boots, with a black braid hanging down her back and a blue hat on her head. But what Fiyero registered was that her skin was _green._

Gaping, he turned to Avaric. "You didn't _see_ her? You didn't see _her?" _he asked in disbelief.

He didn't see how anyone could possibly miss seeing her.

Avaric glared at him. "Can you just help me? I think we should take her to the hospital. She could really be hurt."

Fiyero hesitated. "Is she…?"

"She's alive. She has a pulse," Avaric answered, his voice shaking.

Fiyero didn't really want to spend his first hours at Shiz at the hospital, they were of course, the first critical when it came to making a first impression. But he decided it would be better to arrive fashionably late than being known for injuring a fellow student and abandoning her. The school probably frowned on that, and he knew his parents would be horrified if they were to find out.

"Okay. Get her bag and books," he instructed Avaric, pointing to the few belongings scattered on the ground nearby, including a now broken pair of glasses.

While Avaric did so, Fiyero glanced around. They were on the grounds of Shiz, near a courtyard with a statue in it. Students were standing around in their uniforms of navy blue. Some were studying (well, that would be changing soon if Fiyero had any say about it), and some were watching the carriage with curiosity. No one seemed to be coming forward to ask if the green girl was okay.

When Fiyero knelt down and gingerly scooped the girl into his arms, she groaned and her eyes fluttered open.

"Hi," he greeted her when her eyes (dark brown he noted absent-mindedly), landed on him, although he noticed she had difficulty focusing on him. "We're taking you to the hospital-"

He couldn't say anything else before her eyes rolled back and she fainted again.

"She fainted?" Avaric asked worriedly.

Fiyero shrugged. "She probably recognised me. It's not the first time," he said casually and placed the unconscious girl in the carriage.

As Avaric drove to the local hospital, Fiyero reached for the book bag Avaric had thrown on the seat beside him. He was hoping to learn who the girl was, it would be a lot easier to get her admitted into the hospital if he could tell them her name.

After some digging, he found a student ID in an inside pocket. _Elphaba Thropp, _it read and Fiyero considered that thoughtfully. The name Thropp was somewhat familiar, but he couldn't place it. He hoped he hadn't hooked up with a relative of hers somewhere before. He could confidently say he had never seen her before today though- even at his drunkest, he was sure he'd remember a _green _girl.

Avaric was still frantic when they arrived at the hospital. "Fiyero, what if they ask what happened? I don't want to get into trouble."

Fiyero tried to calm his friend as he lifted the girl- Elphaba, he assumed, into his arms.

"Leave it with me, Av," he assured him and led the way inside.

"Can I get some help here?" he called out and immediately was swarmed by two nurses and a doctor.

"What happened?" the doctor asked as Elphaba was laid out on a gurney.

Fiyero had already thought through what to say. "She was reading as she walked and didn't see my carriage stopping."

He'd decided that was the most likely theory, considering the half a dozen books that had been in her bag and on the ground when she fell. And this way, really, no one was at fault.

"What's her name?" one of the nurses asked.

"Elphaba," Fiyero replied, hoping he was pronouncing it right. Because _that_ would be awkward.

"She's a classmate of mine at Shiz University."

That was true, he reasoned. He didn't actually know if they had any classes together, but they at least went to the same school.

"How did she end up green?" another nurse asked in confusion and Fiyero stalled.

"Er- she's always been green as far as I know," he lied, hoping it was the truth. "I- I thought it rude to ask."

The doctor leaned over the green girl's unconscious form. "Elphaba? Elphaba, can you hear me?"

He shone a light in her eyes as he spoke and she moaned, jerking her head away from the light. Fiyero knew that expression, and given that he didn't think she was hung-over, assumed she'd hit her head rather hard and probably had a concussion.

"Elphaba, honey, can you tell me where you hurt?" a nurse asked gently.

Fiyero leaned forward subtly to catch her answer.

"My.. my leg," she murmured.

"Which leg, dearie?"

"Left… and it- it hurts to b-breathe. My head hurts."

"Ok, we're going to make it stop," the doctor assured her gently and the nurses wheeled her away.

"Where are they taking her?" Fiyero asked, trying to sound like a concerned friend.

"We'll do x-rays and see how badly her injuries are," the doctor replied. "I'll come find you in the waiting room when we're done."

Fiyero hadn't planned on waiting around the hospital for hours. "No-" he began to protest quickly, but the doctor was already gone.

Fiyero sighed and turned, where Avaric was waiting nervously.

"How bad is it?"

"She mentioned her head and leg hurting and that it was hard to breathe," Fiyero replied and Avaric paled.

Fiyero sighed again, and squeezed his friend's shoulder comfortingly. "The doctor said he'll come find us when there's news. Think there's decent coffee in this place? My head's killing me."

As they sat in the waiting room, Fiyero found he was thinking about the girl- Elphaba. And not just the questions you assumed you'd be thinking about her (like how in Oz's name she was green); but other things. Why had _no one _come forward as she lay on the ground to make sure she was alright? Did she have a family? Friends?

When she'd spoken, as brief as it was, her voice was clear and ringing, though slightly hoarse. It was quite a nice voice, he mused thoughtfully. Fiyero knew a _lot_ of girls, and some of them had horrible voices.

And he really did hope she was okay. Fiyero had a reputation for being somewhat of a playboy and shallow and self-absorbed; but he didn't exactly enjoy the thought that a fellow student may have been seriously injured because of Avaric's driving.

It was an hour after they'd arrived that the doctor returned, and made his way over to Fiyero when he saw him.

"How is she?" Fiyero asked.

The doctor sat down and cleared his throat. "Technically I can't reveal anything to non-family members, but I know you must be worried about your friend, and given that her family is in Munchkinland…"

Fiyero tried to act as though that was old news to him, but internally, realisation was dawning. That's why the name "Thropp" had sounded so familiar! That was the name of the Governor of Munchkinland… although Fiyero had never heard he had a green daughter.

And then he realised how the doctor must know that.

"She's awake, then?"

The doctor nodded. "Yes. She has a mild concussion and some bruised ribs and bruises. She also slightly tore a ligament in her knee. Luckily, it won't require surgery, but we're going to keep her in for a day or two, because she can't use crutches until her ribs heal. She'll have to stay off her left leg for about two weeks and attend regular physical therapy sessions, but there should be no lasting damage to her knee."

Fiyero nodded, genuinely relieved it was nothing serious. "Can I see her? Just for a moment? To make sure she's alright?"

The doctor paused, considering. "I understand your concern for your friend. I'll check with the nurses if that's possible. Excuse me."

He left and Fiyero turned to Avaric in relief, who still looked panicked. He'd recognised the name "Thropp" too.

"Oh, Oz… did I just run over the Governor of Munchkinland's daughter?" he asked Fiyero, almost hyperventilating.

"No, Av. You _accidentally _knocked over the Governor of Munchkinland's daughter," Fiyero corrected calmly. "It was an accident."

That didn't reassure Avaric. "What if she presses charges? Or her father does? I heard he dotes on her, they say she's tragically beautiful."

Fiyero frowned sceptically. Tragically beautiful? The green girl? Beautifully tragic, maybe, but Fiyero wouldn't go so far as to call her beautiful. And he'd known many beautiful girls.

"Look," Fiyero told him. "I'll go see her, turn on the Tiggular charm, and ask her not to press charges. I'm sure she'll agree it was an accident."

That put some colour back in Avaric's face. "Really?"

"Of course!"

The doctor returned before he could say anything else. "She's asleep at the moment, but you can see her for a moment. She was in some pain, so we gave her something to help her sleep. If you'd still like to see her the nurses are expecting you. She's in room 212."

Fiyero rose from his seat quickly and shook the doctor's hands. "Thank you, sir. And I'd appreciate if you send all medical bills to me. I'd like to take care of them, I feel awful."

The doctor raised an eyebrow. "And you are?"

"Prince Fiyero Tiggular," Fiyero replied and the doctor's eyes widened.

"Of course, Your Highness. I'll make sure it's done. Where should I send them?"

Fiyero gestured to Avaric. "My servant can take care of all those details for me while I check on my friend."

He left Avaric and the doctor and headed to Elphaba's room. It was late now, just gone after five –thirty, and Fiyero knew it would be dark by the time he eventually got to Shiz. So much for his welcoming party.

When he got to room 212, he wasn't sure what to expect as he hesitantly knocked on the door. The room was dim, Fiyero knew that was due to her concussion, but there was a faint light in the room so he could see her. She was propped up on pillows, her left leg in a brace and stretched out before her. But what took Fiyero by surprise the most was that someone had taken out her braid and the green girl was revealed to have stunning, shining long midnight black hair that was fanned out over her pillows.

She was sleeping soundly, her face peaceful and her breathing even.

"What time are visiting hours tomorrow?" Fiyero asked the nurse.

"Eight," she replied.

Fiyero nodded. "Ok, I'll be here then."

Eight was a bit earlier than Fiyero liked to get up ordinarily, but he wanted to get this over with. As Fiyero left and headed back to meet Avaric so he could finally arrive at Shiz, he formed a plan. He'd skip his first class- according to the schedule he'd been mailed before he left it was only literature class anyway; come see Elphaba, apologise and ask her not to press charges on Avaric. She'd agree, he was certain, no girl had ever resisted the Tiggular charm before. He'd flirt a little, flatter her and smooth things over, and be out of there by lunchtime ready to take Shiz University by storm.

Problem solved, right?

**AN. Just because I know people might be wondering, Kastle is actually pronounced "Kas-lay". Yep, it's a real name. I went to uni with a girl by that name. **

**And if you skipped or skimmed it, please go back and read the AN for this chapter! **


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. Happy Australia Day everyone! School starts tomorrow and I feel totally sick.**

** Thanks to everyone who reviewed. And a few people raised the very true point that usually in stories set before the Lion Cub, Fiyero is kind of a jerk (not the word people used, but I'm paraphrasing). This is true, we all know Fiyero was shallow and self-absorbed before he met Elphaba... or pretended to be. However, he does seem to be actually friends with Avaric and I didn't think even Fiyero would be so cruel as to not take Elphaba to the hospital. **

**And remember, he's only going back to "charm her" and convince her not to get Avaric into trouble!**

**There is a line in this chapter taken from _The Big Bang Theory _if anyone can pick it! It's a season 4 ep, if that helps anyone.**

**Chapter Two**

Fiyero had only had about five hours of sleep the night before, but he was well- practised at operating on little or no sleep as he headed into the hospital the next morning.

When he and Avaric had finally reached Shiz the night before, he'd had to find the Headshiztress, one "Madame Morrible" and explain the situation and his delay. She had been very concerned about the green girl's welfare, but Fiyero had assured her that it had been an accident, Miss Elphaba was not severely injured and he was personally taking care of all medical expenses.

That had appeased her and he had left her writing to the girl's father. She had also mentioned a sister, and it had taken Fiyero a while to understand that the sister was also enrolled at Shiz, and shared Morrible's private compartment. He pitied the girl then, and wondered how she'd drawn the short straw to have to room with the Headshiztress.

Finally, Fiyero had been given directions to his room and left Avaric to bring up the luggage. He had a private suite, as he had at all his schools, but had met the boys in the room next to him, an unusually tall Munchkin named Boq and his roommate, a Gilikinese boy named Tero.

As Fiyero crossed the hospital lobby, he saw the gift shop and paused. Should he buy something for her? It would certainly butter her up- he didn't buy flowers for everyone; and she'd probably be impressed and flattered that he'd bought flowers for her. Besides, wasn't that the traditional gift when visiting someone in hospital? His mind made up, Fiyero entered the room and studied the flower bouquets on display carefully.

There were plenty of roses, but Fiyero made it a point never to give roses to a girl- not since he'd given a single lavender rose to a girl he'd briefly dated at his first school, named Sheona. It turned out that giving lavender roses symbolised love at first sight and a single rose meant "you are the one" and Sheona had known this and taken the meaning literally. She'd stalked him for a month, and become hysterical when she saw Fiyero at a party with another girl.

Since then, Fiyero's rule was _never _to give roses to a girl, and _always _learn the meaning of flowers. It was one of the few subjects Fiyero considered himself an expert on- although Kastle was always telling him that manipulating and seducing girls was not a worthy field of expertise, nor one he should be proud of.

It took him ten minutes and the help of the florist, but eventually Fiyero decided upon a bouquet of purple hyacinth meaning "I am sorry", pink peonies meaning "healing", and white pear blossoms meaning "health". Confidently, he smiled warmly at the nurses as he made his way up to Elphaba's room.

Peering inside discreetly, he saw she was awake and reading a newspaper. When he knocked on the door gently, she turned her head on the pillow and her gaze landed on him. She said nothing, and Fiyero cleared his throat as he moved into the room.

"Hi," he greeted her, flashing her his dazzling grin that was sure to put a girl at ease.

"I'm glad to see you awake, I was pretty worried. You probably don't remember me, you weren't conscious for long. I'm-"

"I know who you are," she cut him off and Fiyero grinned, of course she knew who he was.

"Well, I'm really glad to see you're okay. I mean, Avaric, my driver- he feels awful. _I _feel awful about what happened. This horrendible accident… not exactly the best way to meet someone knew, is it? I mean, who can say what happened really… maybe the driver saw green and thought it meant go," Fiyero joked.

Elphaba raised an eyebrow fractionally and Fiyero faltered slightly. She didn't seem impressed.

"I, er, I bought you some flowers," he said, holding up the bouquet in his hand. "The, uh, the peonies mean '_healing', _and the pear blossoms mean '_health'. _The purple ones are hyacinth, which is supposed to mean-"

"'_I'm sorry' _or '_please forgive me',_" Elphaba interrupted him once again, accepting the bouquet from him as he stood there holding it out to her.

"I suppose I should take comfort in the fact that you _do_ in fact feel contrite over your carriage knocking me over?"

Fiyero was speechless. This is not how this was supposed to go. Where was the blushing, the flirting, the fluttering of eyelashes? Why was she not falling all over him?

"Uh, listen… Elphaba? I honestly do feel bad and if there's any way I can make it up to you…"

Elphaba raised her eyebrow even higher. "Make it up to me?" she repeated.

Fiyero could only watch as she used her arms to push herself into a sitting position, wincing as she did so and he remembered what the doctor had told him about her ribs.

"Make _what _up to me exactly?" she demanded. "For your driver knocking me over, while you were doing Oz only knows what?"

"Sleeping," Fiyero interjected and her eyebrow got impossibly higher.

"You were _sleeping?"_

Fiyero shrugged and dared to grin at her again. "Of course. It's day time."

Elphaba glared at him. "Well, while you were having a _nap_, I was busy getting run over thanks to your incompetent driver. And I'm going to miss at _least_ two days of classes, and be inconvenienced by crutches for the next two weeks and probably miss more classes when I have to attend physical therapy for my knee!"

Fiyero opened his mouth to say something but she talked over the top of him.

"I know exactly who you are and your reputation," she continued coldly. "And if you think I'm some gullible, naïve, _bimbo_ who is going to think myself lucky and make friends because the great Fiyero Tiggular smiled at me and bought me flowers; you're dumber than you look."

Fiyero blinked.

"Are you inferring that I'm stupid?" he asked.

"No, I'm implying it. You just inferred it," she retorted. "I'm not going to press charges against you or your driver, so you can assure yourself that you did your duty. Now, if you don't mind, my head is still rather sore and I'd like to be alone."

She waited expectantly for him to leave. It took Fiyero's brain a moment to catch up and he turned and left without another word.

Finally alone, Elphaba lowered her head back against the pillows and sighed. Did he really think he could just turn up with some flowers, apologise and smile charmingly at her, and all would be forgotten? She'd meant what she said, she had no intention of pressing charges. It _had _been an accident, she knew and despite the rumours flying around campus (thanks to her roommate, she suspected), she wasn't a completely horrendible person.

Elphaba was furious at herself, and also a little worried. She had been so distracted by what Doctor Dillamond had told her after he dismissed their history class that day… unable to forget the Goat's face after he'd involuntarily bleated in their conversation. Elphaba remembered going to the library and finding a book on the Great Drought, hoping for more information that could help. She had been on her way back to her room, already reading and the next thing she knew…

And now here she was, in hospital. The doctor had told her she would be there for at least another day before being released, which meant Nessa would be on her own. And Elphaba could hardly care for her sister when she was going to be on crutches for the next two weeks. She didn't even know if Nessa knew what had happened to her! And if her father found out… he had made it very clear Elphaba was only enrolled at Shiz to care for Nessa. Elphaba knew it wouldn't matter to him that the accident hadn't been her fault. All he'd see was that she had failed in her responsibilities to her sister.

And she couldn't believe of all people to come to Shiz, it was Fiyero Tiggular. Everyone in Oz knew his reputation. He'd been kicked out of almost every school in Oz, leaving behind a long list of girls dumb enough to fall for his flattery and climb into bed with him, only to be forgotten by morning.

Well, that was what the rumours said anyway. Elphaba knew better than anyone not to believe rumours (hello, back in Munchkinland, even _Nessa_ had believed the rumour that her green skin was contagious when she was a child); but her meeting with the 'scandalacious' prince left her with no doubt that at least _some _of the rumours were true.

Elphaba had always been good at reading people, an advantage of being the way she was. And she had seen that Fiyero had clearly intended to flatter and impress her. Hopefully, he would leave her alone from now on, just like everyone else did.

But Fiyero had no such intentions. Elphaba's attitude towards him had… intrigued him, to say the least. No girl (except his sister, who _clearly _didn't count) had ever spoken to him like that before. And he was puzzled by it. He didn't know the girl, and she didn't know him- apart from his reputation which evidently preceded him. He couldn't help but wonder why she was so against giving him any attention.

"_You think I'm some gullible, naïve, bimbo who is going to think myself lucky and make friends because the great Fiyero Tiggular smiled at me and bought me flowers."_

Ok, maybe Fiyero's intentions _had _been somewhat similar to what she'd said. He had hoped to make peace and smooth things over- running a classmate over wasn't _exactly_ the legacy he wanted to leave behind at Shiz. But her complete rejection of him had left him stunned. What girl didn't like flowers? Well, green girls, evidently.

And he had been blatantly taken aback when had made that snarky remark about his intelligence. His grades left more to be desired yes, but that was due to a lack of effort, not a lack of brains- although he knew she wouldn't be the first to think otherwise. And he was surprised by how insulted he was at her comment.

So, Fiyero had made up his mind. He was going to go back to Elphaba's room, and demand answers as to why she was so set on her opinion of him, without knowing him.

_Why is her opinion of you so important? _A voice in his brain asked him. _Does Fiyero like the green girl?_

"Don't be ridiculous," he muttered to himself.

_So, this is about your injured ego? _The voice responded, sounding more and more like Kastle, much to Fiyero's irritation.

Fiyero liked that answer better, so he went with it. And he began to set his plan in motion.

As soon as afternoon visiting hours began, he was back at the hospital and back in Elphaba's doorway. She had moved now, and was sitting in a chair by the window, her knee propped up on another chair in front of her. When she saw him standing there, she froze for a moment.

"Can I help you, Your Highness?" she asked.

"There's no need to use my title," he said hastily, entering the room. "It's just Fiyero."

She nodded warily. "Fine. What are you doing here?"

Fiyero handed her the bag he was holding.

"I took the liberty of going to your teachers and collecting work for you."

Elphaba was stunned, she hadn't expected that. Especially after how the prince's visit that morning had ended.

"Thank you," she said hesitantly, accepting the bag much warmly than she had the flowers that morning, which were now in a vase by her bed.

"How- how did you know which were my classes?" she asked curiously.

Fiyero shrugged casually, as though it were no big deal. "I asked Madame Morrible, when I told her I'd be helping you out while you're on crutches."

Elphaba jolted up straight in her chair, and then grimaced as the sharp movement pulled on her sore ribs.

"You're going to what?" she asked sharply.

Fiyero shrugged again. "Well, you're going to be on crutches for two weeks. You'll need help getting to classes and such. So, I'm going to help."

Elphaba raised an eyebrow, and Fiyero wondered how many times she was going to do that per conversation.

"You do realise that to help me attend classes, that suggests you _too_ will attend classes? You've been here twice today and you only arrived yesterday. Have you attended _any_ class yet?"

"Not… _technically_," Fiyero admitted. "I've seen the classrooms… been inside… they're big," he offered vaguely.

Elphaba rolled her eyes faintly.

"Thank you for the work," she told him reluctantly, clearly an opening to leave.

Fiyero heard it, but ignored that.

"So, Elphaba… why don't you like me?"

Elphaba hesitated. "I'm sorry?"

"Why don't you like me?" Fiyero repeated, sitting on the empty bed and leaning forward towards her.

Elphaba had never expected that question. "I- I don't…. I don't know you," she stammered, caught off guard.

Fiyero leaned back, grinning triumphantly. "Exactly! I have to admit, I was a little hurt by what you said to me this morning… you know, _inferring _I was stupid and everything," he said, emphasising the word he had gotten wrong that morning.

He threw in a pout, trying to look especially injured. He was alarmed when Elphaba abruptly narrowed her eyes.

"What?" he asked defensively.

Elphaba scoffed. "Please, you think _pouting_ is going to make me feel sorry for you? You're nothing more than a silly rich boy, used to getting his way. You show up and just expect everyone to worship you? And then you're insulted because I have no time for you? You're right, I don't know you," she admitted.

"But I know your reputation and the impression you've made so far isn't exactly helping to change my opinion of you. I'm not going to fall for your charming flattery routine, so you may as well give it up."

It was Fiyero's turn to raise an eyebrow at her. "That sounds like a challenge."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "It's not."

Fiyero shrugged. "Your call. However, I've already promised Madame Morrible I'd assist you, so you are stuck with me for the next two weeks."

Elphaba groaned internally. Great. Just _great._

Fiyero only grinned. He liked a challenge.


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. And yes, a few of you picked the BTT line! It's when Elphaba says "No, I'm implied it, you just inferred it." It's from Season 4 episode 11 'The Justice League Recombination' between Zack and Sheldon. **

**And Beautifully Tragic Girl and PocketSevens, thank you for asking. Yes, "sick" just meant nervous although it does make me feel physically sick :/**

**And now we get to bring Galinda into it! This should be interesting! I had to think- how to get Elphaba and Galinda to be friends without the party at the OzDust and Elphie's hat? But I like this one... and sounds like something Galinda would do.**

**Chapter Three**

Of course the news that Fiyero Tiggular had enrolled at Shiz and been involved with some… _incident _with the resident green girl, had all of campus talking.

In the girls' dormitory, one Miss Galinda Upland was on her hands and knees in her closet, digging through shoes, bags and hats. Her friends (or admirers, or posse- depending on who you asked), Milla, Pfannee and Shen-Shen sat on her pink bed, watching.

"So… _why _are you going to visit the artichoke again?" Shen-Shen asked, puzzled.

Galinda sighed patiently, turning around to face the girl as she replied.

"_Because! _I heard Horrible Morrible telling Dr Dillamond that Fiyero was there."

"Why don't you just wait to meet him in class? We know we at least have history with him," Pfannee suggested.

Galinda waved a hand dismissively. "I'm hardly ever in history, if I can help it. I hate that class… the old Goat is always harping on about the past, it's so boring! And he _still _can't pronounce my name right!"

"And from what I hear, Fiyero doesn't attend class much either," Milla chimed in.

Galinda nodded. "Exactly. But the Artich… ahem, _Elphaba _is my roommate after all. It would be rude of me not to visit her, because we're such _dear _friends- almost sisters you know. And if I just _happen _to meet Fiyero while I was there…"

"That's a brilliant plan, Galinda," gushed Shen-Shen and the blonde girl tossed her hair.

"I know. He's bound to fall in love with me. I mean, I'm beautiful, and perfect and so goodly! We're perfect together, don't you think?"

Milla nodded in agreement. "So, why are you looking through your closet?"

Galinda turned back to her task in frustration. "There must be _something _in here I can pass off to _her _as a gift. Girls, start looking through these hat boxes, will you?"

They did so obediently, and they working in silence for a few minutes, before Pfannee gasped in horror.

"Galinda? What in Oz's name?"

Galinda turned and saw her friend holding up a pointed, black hat. Gasping, Galinda lunged for it and quickly snatched it out of the girl's grasp.

"Oh! Pretend you didn't see that!" she almost begged. "My granny's always buying me the most hideoteous hats," she explained, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

"I'd give it away, but I don't hate anyone _that _much."

Pfannee, Shen-Shen and Milla exchanged grins. "Oh, yes, you do," they chorused in unison.

Galinda didn't need to ask who they were referring to.

"_No!"_ she gaped. "I _couldn't!_ Could I?"

Milla shrugged. "You wanted something to give as a gift."

"True," Galinda mused thoughtfully.

"And the alternative is you give the artichoke something that you actually _like," _Shen-Shen added and that decided it.

"Ok, then!" Galinda agreed. "Now, what should I wear? I have to look _perfect _when I'm meeting Fiyero for the first time."

When she had been properly dressed and accessorized and pronounced "perfect" by the girls, Galinda picked up the hat box and headed over to the hospital.

"Excuse me?" she greeted the nurse at the reception desk sweetly. "I'm looking for a… _friend_ of mine. Elphaba Thropp?"

The nurse nodded and checked her charts. "Room 212."

Galinda thanked her and headed off. When she saw the room, and that the door was open, she stopped and took a deep breath.

"You can do this Galinda," she said to herself quietly. "Just go in there, and pretend you like her. Remember, she's your dearest and bestest friend who was in a terrible accident and injured. It's only for a few days, until Fiyero falls in love with you."

Elphaba and Fiyero had been sitting in the room in silence for fifteen minutes, since he announced his intention to "assist" her. Elphaba was pointedly ignoring him and reading over the work Fiyero had collected from her teachers. Doctor Dillamond had included a lovely note, which Elphaba was re-reading as Fiyero sat on her empty bed, trying to either initiate conversation or irritate her into speaking, she wasn't sure which.

Either way, he was failing. Yes, he was annoying, but Elphaba would not give him the satisfaction of speaking to him and breaking her silence. She was bewildered and stunned when suddenly, Galinda appeared in the doorway.

"Oh, Elphie! Thank Oz you're alright!" she exclaimed dramatically, hurrying across the room and hugging Elphaba awkwardly.

Elphaba thought she must have hit her head harder than she'd thought. She and Galinda didn't have any kind of relationship where the blonde would actually be _worried _about her, and she certainly never called her "Elphie". What was all that about?

Galinda was still rambling on, apparently distressed.

"When you didn't come home last night, I was _so _worried! But I figured you'd just fallen asleep in the library again. And then Madame Morrible told me over breakfast what had happened…"

Galinda heaved a sigh, as though the memory was too hard to relive. "Of course, I wanted to come straight away, but I had classes and I _knew _you wouldn't want me skipping class to visit you. You're always so _sweet _to be concerned with my studies! And then, of course, I had to go shopping to find you _the _perfect gift to say 'get well soon'! It's not much, but I saw it and thought of you. And I don't want you protesting that it's too much, this is purely out of the goodness of my heart and… oh!"

She cut herself off, seeing Fiyero sitting on the bed, and plastered a look of false surprise on her face, even as she set the box under her arm down.

"Hello. I don't believe we've met," she simpered, holding out her hand.

Behind her back, Elphaba rolled her eyes. Of _course_, this was about the prince. That made sense. She had actually been alarmed about Galinda's sanity for a moment.

Fiyero jumped off the bed to take Galinda's hand in his, bowing slightly and kissing the back of it lightly.

"Fiyero Tiggular," he introduced himself, smiling the smile he'd first shown to Elphaba.

As it was intended, Galinda flushed prettily and fluttered her eyelashes at him. "Galinda Upland... of the _Upper _Uplands," she curtseyed daintily.

Fiyero looked smug that no, he hadn't lost his touch rather abruptly, it was just Elphaba who rejected his flattering smile. He shot her a quick glance, as if to say, "this is how it's supposed to work" and she only rolled her eyes at him in return.

"Aren't you going to open your gift, _Elphie?" _Fiyero asked her.

She glared at him. "Don't call me that."

Galinda giggled. "Only I'm allowed to call her that," she told Fiyero in a stage whisper. "Being best friends and all, I couldn't just call her _Elphaba _all the time. So formal!"

Fiyero nodded. "So, what does she call you?" he asked, as though Elphaba weren't there.

_Blondie, princess, drama queen, diva, _Elphaba said to herself silently, but Galinda stared at Fiyero blankly as though he had just asked a really stupid question.

"She calls me Galinda," she replied, her tone implying it were obvious and Fiyero nodded slowly.

"Right. Of course."

Galinda hopped up on the bed, conveniently right next to the spot Fiyero had been sitting a moment ago.

"Come on, Elphie- open it," she urged, gesturing to the hat box she'd placed on the chair that Elphaba's leg was resting on.

With them both watching her, Elphaba warily leaned forward and took the box. It didn't seem to be ticking or rigged, so she deemed it was safe to open. Besides, if she was only doing this to impress Fiyero, it wouldn't be a joke- well, an _obvious _joke.

Elphaba lifted the lid, and paused for a moment, before lifting out the black hat inside. Galinda was smiling at her, but Elphaba could almost see the malice behind it.

"I saw this and thought it was _perfect _for you," she said sweetly. "After all, it's rather _sharp, _don't you think? And you and this hat… you're both so smart, you practically _deserve_ each other."

Elphaba wasn't exactly sure what Galinda was hoping her reaction would be to the hat. But it was clear now, that Galinda deemed the hat as the height of unfashionable. And she didn't miss the hidden meaning, that Elphaba was just as wrong and unfashionable as the hat was- as the blonde had said, they truly did deserve each other.

Feeling a spark of wickedness, Elphaba defiantly placed the hat atop her head, and looked up at her visitors. Galinda looked stunned, she clearly hadn't expected Elphaba to actually _wear _the hat.

"What do you think, _roomie?"_ Elphaba asked sarcastically, tilting her head.

Galinda struggled for a moment and then finally said, "Well, they say black is this year's pink."

Fiyero shook his head. "That is one hideoteous hat. But it suits you."

"Gee, thanks," Elphaba said, even more sarcastically. "Your opinion means so much to me."

Fiyero shrugged. "It should."

Elphaba had almost reached her limit of tolerance for stupidity for one day.

"Tell you what, why don't you two go and get a cup of coffee or something and let me get some work done?" she suggested.

Galinda slid off the bed neatly, she was dying to get out of this room and let Fiyero see how perfect she was for him.

"That sounds like a _perfect _idea!" She fluttered her eyelashes at Fiyero once more. "What do you say?"

Fiyero grinned and offered her his arm. "It would be a pleasure. Elphaba, I'll pick you up at eleven tomorrow?"

Elphaba grimaced. The doctor had stopped by earlier, and was pleased with Elphaba's status. When she had asked to be released the next day, he had agreed. She didn't like the idea of the prince helping her, but she knew without Fiyero's help, she was stuck getting back to campus.

"Fine," she agreed.

"Oh, you're coming home tomorrow, Elphie? That's thrillifying news!" Galinda gushed, with almost too much enthusiasm.

"Oh, I bet you're just over the moon," Elphaba said mockingly.

Fiyero was oblivious to her sarcasm. "Ok, see you tomorrow then. Shall we, Miss Galinda?"

Galinda nodded, beaming and they left Elphaba's room together and headed out of the hospital, to a café near campus.

"_The Wilted Rose. _It's the main hang out just off campus," she told Fiyero as they walked.

Fiyero nodded. He realised, this would be a perfect opportunity to learn more about Elphaba. Galinda was her roommate and best friend, she must know her well- and she was certainly willing to talk.

"So, uh, Galinda? Can I ask you something?" he asked when they'd sat down and ordered.

Galinda held her breath. Was this is? Was he asking her out? "Of course," she replied breathily.

"I couldn't help notice that besides you and I, Elphaba hasn't had any visitors," Fiyero began and Galinda's heart fell.

"Do you know why?"

Galinda shrugged carelessly, then remembered she was supposed to be Elphaba's bestest friend, and plastered a look of sympathy on her pretty face.

"Elphie doesn't have many friends," she said quietly. "Oh, it's so awful to say aloud! But the _truth?" _she leaned forward conspiratorially. Fiyero leaned in too, and Galinda _almost _lost her train of thought when she looked into his azure blue eyes, but maintained her focus.

"Most of the people at school are mean to her- because of the colour of her skin. They call her names like 'Artichoke', or 'green girl'… when we first arrived at Shiz, there was a mistake with rooming arrangements and they didn't have a room for her. So, naturally, I selflessly volunteered to share my private suite with her. And now… we're practically _sisters _we're so close!"

"I heard she _has _a sister?" Fiyero questioned, and Galinda nodded.

"Nessarose. She's a tragically beautiful girl… except for, well… her _chair," _she whispered and Fiyero was confused.

"Her chair?"

"The poor dear can't walk," Galinda explained.

Fiyero had wondered why not even Elphaba's own sister would come and visit her in hospital- her inability to walk made a lot more sense.

"So, _that's_ why she has to room with Madame Morrible?"

Galinda giggled and nodded. "Yes. My heart aches for her, having to room with Horrible Morrible!"

Fiyero grinned.

"So, listen," he said and Galinda perked up, giving him her full attention. "Tomorrow, would you like to come with me to pick up Elphaba? Given that you're friends and all… maybe we could take her out to lunch before bringing her back to campus or something?"

Galinda pouted internally for a half a moment, she didn't fancy the idea of the string bean being there for her first date with Fiyero, but then she readily agreed.

"That sounds _lovely. _It is so good of you to care for Elphie this much," she gushed, tossing her hair back.

Fiyero gave a small shrug. "I'm just trying to do the right thing," he said modestly. Fiyero was sure that it would be only a matter of days before Elphaba gave in.

Galinda almost swooned right there in her chair. He was undoubtedly, perfect. She was so lucky, they truly would be the _perfect_ couple!

It was only a matter of time, certainly.


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. As I said in chapter 1, there's so many lines in this story I'm really quite proud of, and especially one in this chapter. Feel free to share your favourites with me and I'll tell you mine in the next update!**

**First official day at school today :/**

**Chapter Four**

Elphaba was sitting on her bed, crutches by her side, looking at the time. It was five past eleven, her discharge papers were in her hand and she was dressed in the clothes she'd been wearing the day of the accident, because her "bestest and dearest friend" hadn't thought to bring clean clothes when she'd visited the day before.

Her ribs still ached slightly, especially having to use the crutches, but Elphaba didn't want to stay in hospital a moment longer than she had to. And now she was irritated that Fiyero had said he'd be there at eleven, and he was now five- no, six minutes late. Of course, it didn't surprise her. He didn't seem like punctuality was a major concern for him.

Elphaba sighed heavily to the empty room, and stared at her left leg with a scowl. The area around her knee was swollen and bandaged and secured in a knee brace. It would have to remain so for the next two weeks, and she had to come back to the hospital three times a week for physical therapy sessions. It was immensely sore, and she'd been given mild painkillers for it too. Elphaba hated the pills, they made her drowsy, but not taking them wasn't an option, according to the doctor.

"Your chariot, my lady," Fiyero announced himself, entering the room at twelve past eleven, pushing a wheelchair before him.

"You're late," Elphaba retorted.

Fiyero stopped abruptly, and he glanced at the time. "Only a little," he shrugged carelessly.

Elphaba opened her mouth to argue that, but then Galinda bounced into the room.

"Oh, _goody, _and Galinda's here too."

Galinda smiled tightly. "Of course I am, silly! Fiyero and I," she proclaimed, slipping her arm around Fiyero's innocently. "We thought we'd take you to lunch before going back to school!"

Elphaba stared at the blonde for a moment before realising she wasn't joking.

"Why?"

Fiyero laughed. "_Why?_ Maybe I just want to spend some quality time with two beautiful ladies? Would you refuse me that?"

Galinda giggled and blushed, her arm still clutching his. He winked at Elphaba, who stared back at him steadily, unimpressed. She couldn't believe he was actually trying to call her beautiful in an attempt to flatter her. Who did he think he was kidding?

"Can we just leave already?" she asked and manoeuvred herself into the wheelchair.

Fiyero's face fell slightly. Really? Nothing? He sighed inwardly and saw Galinda's arm still wrapped around his. He discreetly disentangled himself and turned the chair around. Elphaba held her book bag on her lap, and Galinda made a big show of taking Elphaba's crutches in hand.

Fiyero had left the picking of the restaurant to Galinda, not knowing the area, but he had made sure she knew there was to be no expense served. With that in mind, Galinda picked the fanciest restaurant in town, _Cinstrella _and got them a table outside. It was October, but still just warm enough to sit outdoors comfortably.

Fiyero, still determined to win Elphaba over, hurried ahead to the table to pull out Elphaba's chair for her.

"Miss Elphaba, may I help you to your seat?"

Elphaba looked at him coolly. "No, thank you. I'm perfectly capable of seating myself."

Elphaba nimbly hopped over to the other side of the table and seated herself, laying her crutches on the floor beside the table. Fiyero didn't bat an eyelid this time and immediately turned to Galinda.

"Miss Galinda?"

Galinda beamed. "Thank you."

She took the seat opposite Elphaba, and Fiyero gently pushed her chair in.

"If you'll excuse me for just a moment, ladies."

"Of course," Galinda gushed, flashing him a dazzling smile.

Elphaba merely made a murmur in her throat as she picked up her menu reluctantly. When Fiyero was out of earshot however, she looked up and raised an eyebrow.

"I know exactly what you're doing, you know."

Galinda tossed her hair. "What do you mean?"

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "You can drop the act, Galinda. Prince boy can't hear you. I know what you're doing, and I have no idea why you think pretending to be nice to me is going to get you anywhere with _him."_

Galinda narrowed her blue eyes. "_He _has a name," she retorted hotly. "And I still have _no _idea what you're talking about."

Her green-skinned roommate snorted. "Seriously? We've been roommates for a month, remember? I think you've spoken more to me in the last day than you have in that month. So, what's the plan? You think that if he sees how _good _you are by making friends with the green girl, he'll fall desperately in love with you?"

Galinda struggled, not wanting to give Elphaba the satisfaction of being right. Well, of _knowing _she was right.

"I'm just trying to be nice to a new classmate," she said finally. "Which is more than I can say for you. You're being very rude and ungrateful."

Elphaba gaped at her. "_He ran me over!"_

"No, his _driver _ran you over," Galinda corrected her. "It was an accident… I'm assume. And now he's taking you to lunch, he's going to help you while you're on crutches he told me. And you'll barely talk to him!"

Elphaba raised an eyebrow. "If he could talk to _me, _without acting like I should be swooning at his feet or praising the heavens that he's deemed to socialise with me, it _might_ be possible to talk to him. But then again, I've known you for a month and it doesn't look like that's possible either. The two of you deserve each other," she said in disgust, which Galinda completely missed.

"I know," she said simply.

Then she saw Fiyero making his way back towards them and leaned over to speak to Elphaba in a low voice.

"Here he comes. Now, if you can manage it, try _not _to be yourself and act like a human being for a while. And whatever you do, don't screw up my chance with Fiyero."

Elphaba sighed and rolled her eyes. She wasn't quite sure why she was even going along with this and not simply ratting Galinda out. Maybe it was because as much as she loathed the blonde, the alternative was dealing solely with Fiyero and his ill-attempts at flattery for the next two weeks.

"Whatever. But lay off the "Elphie", will you?"

Fiyero smiled at them as he sat down next to Galinda. "So, have you decided what you want yet? Whatever you want, it's on me." He was addressing mainly Elphaba at this point, sure she'd argue with him.

"I know how bad hospital food is. And considering the events that put you there… this is my treat."

Elphaba hesitated for a moment. "Thank you," she replied stiffly, trying to be polite.

As much as she hated to admit it, Galinda had made a point. The thing was, she could tell that Fiyero's smiles, compliments and moves at flattery were fake- well practised yes, but completely fake. He was shallow and self-absorbed, and Elphaba hadn't seen a single sign that he was any different from Galinda- and his reputation supported that.

But he _was _helping her, whether it be an act to appear contrite over her accident or not, and she should at least show a _little _gratitude. And she really had hated the hospital food.

The waitress came over and took their orders, and Fiyero urged Elphaba to order something more expensive than the simple salad she was going to. Eventually, she gave in and changed her order.

Galinda smiled at Elphaba, as the waitress left. "Isn't that nice of him, _Elphie?"_

She stressed the "Elphie" and Elphaba winced involuntarily, which Fiyero caught.

"So, why do you hate being called '_Elphie'?"_

Elphaba looked between Galinda and Fiyero for a moment.

"It's… a little perky," she replied slowly.

Fiyero was thrilled, this was the closest thing to a conversation they'd had since they'd met. Grinning broadly and feeling much more confident, he leaned back in his chair.

"Well, I agree with Galinda. 'Elphaba' is a bit of a mouthful."

"Elphaba is three syllables. And my name," Elphaba replied through gritted teeth. "What else would you call me?"

Fiyero was thoughtful. "Well, let's see…"

"Nessa calls you Fabala!" Galinda offered and Elphaba glared at her. "I've heard her!" Galinda defended herself.

Fiyero looked delighted at this, but Elphaba spoke before he could.

"Don't even think about calling me that. It's a childhood nickname between my sister and I, because she couldn't pronounce my name right as a child. I won't hesitate to hex you if you call me that, prince or not," she warned him. "And if you don't believe me, ask Galinda. I study sorcery."

Galinda scowled momentarily, still furious that Elphaba was being privately tutored in sorcery by Madame Morrible when she was not.

"She does," she admitted to Fiyero who grinned.

"Ok, then. No Fabala. Well, 'Elphie' is just the first part of your name…"

"The first two syllables," Elphaba sighed, correcting him.

He nodded. "Yes. So… El? We could call you Elle? Ella? Ellie?"

Elphaba glared at him. "If you're fond of your nose in its current shape, I suggest you don't call me _Ellie. _That's almost as bad as Elphie," she shuddered.

Fiyero _was _rather fond of his nose, as it turned out, so he hastily moved on to the next syllable.

"Pha? You can't really do much with that, can you? But the next one is Ba, which is worse, it would sound like I'm calling you a sheep or a goat…"

Galinda giggled, finding that image a little funny. "I like Pha," she offered, thoroughly enjoying this conversation, just because it was making Elphaba so uncomfortable.

"Pha," Fiyero repeated thoughtfully. "Fa… Fae. Fae!" he proclaimed, his face brightening. "We can call you Fae!"

Elphaba was tempted to just bang her head down on the table, but she reconsidered- she was just recovering from one concussion at the moment, thank you very much.

"Fae? Fae… sounds _nothing _like Elphaba! How did you get Fae from that?" she demanded. "Why can't you just call me by my name? Or better yet, don't refer to me at all. 'Green girl' seems to work for the rest of campus."

Fiyero ignored her. "Hey, you don't like Elphie, so I'm going with Fae. Get used to it."

"For the month you'll be here before you can add Shiz to the list of schools you've been expelled from? Sure," Elphaba agreed, her tone biting as her temper got the better of her.

Galinda gasped in horror. "Elphaba! That's a _wicked_ thing to say!"

Elphaba felt a _touch _of remorse, maybe that had been a little harsh. But Fiyero only shrugged.

"You're probably right," he agreed.

They fell silent for a few moments as the waitress brought over their meals and they began to eat.

Finally, Elphaba could bear it no longer.

"That's it?" she demanded. "You say that like it's no big deal that you could be expelled. Aren't you worried about your education?"

Fiyero shrugged again, that same care-free air about him. "That doesn't really fit in with my life philosophy."

"Oh, Oz," Elphaba murmured tiredly, but Galinda gaped at Fiyero like he was the Wonderful Wizard of Oz himself.

"What philosophy is that?" she asked breathlessly, her eyes wide.

"To just… dance through life," Fiyero replied as though it explained everything.

Elphaba stared at him blankly, and Galinda looked in awe.

"What does that mean?" she asked, leaning towards Fiyero and placing one perfectly manicured hand on his arm.

Fiyero swallowed the bite of his meal and cleared his throat. "Well, the thing I've always disagreed with about school, is that they're all about '_preparing you for the real world.' _They want you to be less callow, less shallow. They give you exams and readings to supposedly get you ready to be an adult, right?"

Galinda nodded.

"But that's so stressful!" Fiyero exclaimed. "There's no exams or readings in the real world, or assignments. We're young! We have our whole lives ahead of us, this is when we should be having _fun! _So, why bother worrying with all this school stuff? We should be preparing ourselves for the unexamined life."

Elphaba was so horrified she couldn't speak. Galinda, on the other hand, looked like she was about to run off and construct a temple to praise Fiyero's way of life and worship him as her Lord and Saviour.

"My motto is work smarter, not harder," Fiyero explained. "If you don't try, you can't fail. I've found there's much less trouble in life if you just take the time to smell the roses… enjoy life… have some fun. Life is hard, so why bother thinking about it and worrying about everything?"

Elphaba chuckled mirthlessly. "Less trouble? You've been enrolled in _how _many schools? And that's _less _trouble?"

Fiyero laughed and grinned at her. "Well, the trouble is that the other schools don't really agree with my views. But I've never been happier than when I'm living my life this way," he assured her.

"You are so smart," Galinda told him solemnly and Elphaba had an urge to throw something at their stupidity.

She had been right. Galinda could accuse her of being ungrateful all she wanted, but Elphaba was now sure she was right. If Fiyero found his life's contentment in not even trying to apply himself and making moves on every pretty girl, he wasn't worth her time. Because Elphaba wanted to make something of her life. She was _going _to make something of herself, to make good.

And people like Fiyero Tiggular just weren't worth it.

**AN. The origins of "Fae", LOL. **

**Oh! On a completed unrelated note, I need a fake name for Fiyero. Nothing too obvious that Elphaba would be able to figure out and relate back to him (It's for a new story). If you have any ideas, please review or PM me!**

**And another random comment- I love foreshadowing.**


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. One of my favourite lines in the previous chapter:**

"**Elphaba was so horrified she couldn't speak. Galinda, on the other hand, looked like she was about to run off and construct a temple to praise Fiyero's way of life and worship him as her Lord and Saviour."**

**Chapter Five**

The students of Shiz were utterly confusified. Not only was Fiyero Tiggular helping the green girl to classes, insisting on carrying her books and helping her whenever he deemed it necessary; but Galinda Upland was there too!

Of course, Milla, Pfannee and Shen-Shen were there to set the record straight.

"Fiyero's helping the green girl because he feels bad about her accident," they told whoever asked. "And Galinda's there because she and Fiyero are dating- they're just not ready to go public yet as a couple."

It was no surprise to their fellow students that Fiyero would be dating the popular blonde, and they gushed in whispers about how _goodly _they both were to be helping Elphaba after her accident, and how they were the perfect couple.

Elphaba, meanwhile, was going insane. She was managing with her knee as best she could, and she was thankful the swelling was beginning to go down. She had received a note of apology from Fiyero's parents- King Ibrahim and Queen Kasmira of the Vinkus… or at least from their stationary. It had been just over a week and every time she turned around, Fiyero and Galinda were both there. Galinda was continuing her charade that she and "Elphie" were the dearest of friends, and Elphaba still cringed every time she heard the perky nickname. Galinda ignored Elphaba as much as possible without being suspicious when the three of them were together, preferring to direct all her energy and attention to flirting shamelessly with Fiyero.

Fiyero wasn't much better. He was continuing to refer to Elphaba as "Fae", almost finding it amusing how she refused to answer to it. He hadn't given up trying to flatter and flirt his way into Elphaba's good books either, no matter how much she tried to convince him she _had _no good books, and he should give up. And he flirted both with Galinda and any other girl on campus whenever possible.

Much to Elphaba's dismay, they had all but two classes together. He insisted on carrying Elphaba's books and bag around for her, walking her up to her dorm to ensure she didn't fall up or down the stairs on her crutches, and had even made a point of introducing himself to Nessarose and apologising for what led to her losing her sister's assistance.

And Nessa, like Galinda and every other girl on campus save for Elphaba, had blushed and giggled; assuring Fiyero she was not without help, and thanking him for what he was doing for her sister.

"Your sister's quite the beauty," he'd remarked to Elphaba when they were on their way to their next class.

"Stay away from my sister," had been Elphaba's only response, and Fiyero- who had quickly heard of Elphaba's reputation with magic, had hastily complied.

Elphaba, a very independent person, was struggling to accept Fiyero's help- and now had an even deeper sympathy for her sister. But what was annoying her most, was Fiyero's "dancing through life" philosophy and general attitude.

Fiyero had no qualms about going out "to have a good time" with friends he'd made on nights they had class the next day, usually to the _OzDust Ballroom. _Galinda and her posse often went too, and when Fiyero eventually arrived to help Elphaba to class the next morning, he'd be hung-over or sleep deprived. He'd sit in between Elphaba and Galinda in lectures and nap, or doodle absent-mindedly on bits of paper, or pass notes with Galinda and others- except Elphaba… although that wasn't for lack of trying.

When Fiyero had strolled into her hospital room, "just a little" late, that had been bad enough. But Fiyero's interpretation of "just a little" also, it turned out, applied to arriving at class. Elphaba was always a prompt arrival to class, but Fiyero was more lax and thought nothing of taking an extra few minutes on the way for whatever reason caught his fancy. Elphaba found it annoying, but when he insisted on carrying her books, it frustrated her to no end.

"Why don't you just go on without me?" Fiyero suggested one day.

They were on the way to history, which would start in exactly one minute and Fiyero had just announced his intention to detour for a coffee.

"I need a boost," he explained.

Elphaba pivoted to face him on her crutches, glaring. "Well, I need to go to class."

"So, go. I'm right behind you," he promised.

Elphaba's teeth were gritted. "That's a brilliant plan, genius. Except to take notes, I need pen, paper and my textbooks. All of which are in my bag, which is on _your _shoulder, because you _refuse _to let me carry it myself."

Fiyero was surprised by her sharp tone. "Hey, I'm _helping _you!"

"Did I _ever_ ask for your help?" she demanded. "You apologised, I accepted, I told you I had no intention of pressing charges. So why in Oz's name are you still here?"

"Maybe I feel bad, or do you deem that impossible?" Fiyero asked her.

Elphaba scoffed. "You don't feel bad. You just can't understand why I'm not falling all over you like every other girl on campus."

Fiyero raised an eyebrow, not acknowledging that was mostly true. "You know, if I didn't know better, I'd think you didn't like me."

Elphaba let out a breath slowly, looking up at the sky and mentally counting to ten.

"What do you want from me?" she asked tiredly, looking back at him.

Fiyero was surprised by the question. "What do you mean?" he asked innocently, but she only glared at him.

"Don't play dumb," she snapped. "I know you're against thinking, but even you know what I mean."

"I'm not _against _thinking, per se," Fiyero tried to explain. "I just don't see the use of it."

"Oh, Sweet Oz!" Elphaba exclaimed with a frustrated groan.

"What?" Fiyero asked defensively.

"I'm so _sick_ of this stupid 'dancing through life' crap you keep spouting!" Elphaba said, with a slight shake of her head.

"It's not _crap."_

Elphaba raised an eyebrow. "No?"

"What's so wrong with the way _I _choose to live my life?" he demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

Elphaba chuckled tiredly. "Really? You've been expelled from how many schools before you came to Shiz? You mention your name to someone and people list a string of girls from all over Oz who you probably don't even remember anymore… you're a prince. I understand that you have an older sister who's first in line for the throne, but really? Partying and 'dancing through life' is _all _you're ever going to accomplish? And you're actually _happy_ with that? And then you ask me what's wrong with it?"

Fiyero wasn't sure if she was actually looking for him to answer any of those questions, so he just stood there silently.

Elphaba shrugged. "Maybe it's just me. Maybe it's crazy that there are people who- I'm sure you'll find this hard to believe, _actually _come to university to study and to better themselves instead of partying or socialising. Maybe it's crazy that I actually want to do something meaningful with my life once I graduate- and I _do_ intend to graduate instead of repeating my freshman year for my third time because I keep getting expelled from schools. I want to make a difference somehow… do some good in the world… as much as someone like me can," she sighed, looking down at her green hands.

"Can I have my bag, please?"

Fiyero handed it to her silently, unsure what she was doing. Elphaba slung her bag awkwardly over one shoulder, repositioned her crutches, and starting hobbling off.

"Where are you going?" Fiyero asked, finding his voice.

"To class. Get your coffee," she called back over her shoulder and continued on her way.

Fiyero stood there for a few moments. He felt strangely guilty and couldn't work out why. It had been like in the hospital, when she had first insulted him. He went off to get his coffee, but it was half-hearted, he wasn't so sure he wanted it anymore.

As he sat there in the _Wilted Rose, _sipping his latte, Fiyero engaged in an occupation he didn't do very often- _thinking_. And there, he came to a startling conclusion. This was no longer about gaining Elphaba's attention and wanting her to change her opinion of him. He _liked _her, he genuinely liked Elphaba. The flattery, calling her "Fae"… there was something there, something that wasn't like what Fiyero had felt for any girl he could remember.

For the first time, except for the brief moments he usually experienced after a heavy guilt-laden lecture from his parents; Fiyero felt ashamed of the way he was living his life. Granted his behaviour during the week and a half he'd been at Shiz was relatively light compared to his other schools, nothing more serious than a few too many drinks on a school night.

He'd flirted with Galinda and a few other pretty girls, but that was as far as it had gone. Fiyero hadn't thought anything of it until now, but now it made sense. Did he want to _date_ Elphaba?

_She's green, _the voice in his said, as though Fiyero had forgotten that and he rolled his eyes at himself.

He was well aware of the colour of Elphaba's skin. You couldn't not be, and he'd heard the names people around Shiz called her, the way they stared and pointed behind her back.

_You don't have feelings for her, _Fiyero tried to assure himself. _You don't do feelings. _

That was true, Fiyero reasoned, but that still didn't sit well with him. Maybe, he wondered, was he just feeling sorry for her? Other than Galinda, she didn't seem to have any friends. Not even her own sister seemed willing to be seen with her, but well, Fiyero didn't think anything of that. He didn't want to hang around Kastle either. He'd been curious however, that her father hadn't come to see her in the ten days since her accident.

"He's the Governor. He can hardly just pick up and come visit. Besides, I'm fine- there's no reason for him to come," Elphaba had replied shortly when he prodded her about it.

True as that may be, Fiyero was sure his parents would be there if it had been him or Kastle injured, and they were king and queen!

Or maybe, after spending every day with her, Fiyero was just becoming friends with her? That seemed more likely, although Fiyero having a female friend would be a new concept for him. That _had _to be it, he decided as he finished his coffee and left the café. He was beginning to think of Elphaba as a friend… and he was okay with that. She was definitely smart, and funny- although he was pretty sure she wasn't intending her sarcastic remarks to be humorous. And once you got over the shock of the green skin, she was kind of pretty, right?

Fiyero didn't bother going to what remained of their history class, and instead hung outside in the corridor waiting for Dillamond to finish his lecture. When the door opened and his classmates began trickling out, he nodded to the guys and smiled charmingly at the girls as he waited for Elphaba to come out. He knew Galinda wasn't there- she was lucky if she showed up to history once a week.

Elphaba seemed to be taking a while, so Fiyero moved towards the room to look inside. Elphaba was sitting in her seat- front row, as usual, putting her things away as she talked to her sister. Fiyero was too far away to hear what they were saying, but then Nessa said something that made Elphaba smile and laugh.

It was a real, genuine laugh and smile- the first time Fiyero had seen either. Her smile reached her eyes and made them shine and her laugh was light and almost musical. Fiyero felt a strange twist in his stomach, and his eyes widened.

Nope. Elphaba Thropp was not becoming his friend. He definitely wanted to date her. Well, he'd be damned. _Now_ what was he supposed to do? Ask her out? Well, that would end well given that she was still annoyingly unrelenting to his charms and seemed to barely tolerate his presence most of the time.

_Galinda! _The idea came to him suddenly, and he took a moment to bask in its simplistic brilliance, before another thought occurred to him. He knew what people were saying, that he and Galinda were dating and he wasn't brainless enough not to notice that the blonde flirted with him- a lot.

And Fiyero hadn't exactly discouraged her… So, maybe before asking her for tips on how to date her roommate, he should gently let her know he wasn't interested in her… _that _way. Yes, Galinda was beautiful, and perky and pretty much perfect... so, why was he not going to date her, again?

"Enjoy your coffee break?"

Fiyero looked up, startled as Elphaba's voice broke his inner ramblings. He grinned.

"I did. It would have been nice with some company though," he said with a suggestive raise of his eyebrows.

Elphaba rolled her eyes and hopped off and Fiyero grinned to himself as he followed her. Oh yeah… _that's_ why he wasn't going to date Galinda.

The next afternoon, when Elphaba had her sorcery class with Madame Morrible, Fiyero sought out Galinda.

"Uh, Galinda? Have you got time for a cup of coffee?"

Fiyero inwardly cringed as the blonde's eyes lit up. He knew that look. This would not end well. There had been a girl at his… second? Yes, his second school.. or maybe it was his first… anyway, Lianei had clearly had a massive crush on Fiyero and not-so-subtly implied it would make her year if Fiyero was to ask her out. As Fiyero had _really_ only talked to her because she was his partner on an assignment, once the assignment was completed (and yes, he _actually _had done the work… some of it) he figured he should let her down easy.

The result had been two hours of devastated tears and Fiyero trying to assure that his lack of romantic interest in her by no means symbolised that there was anything wrong with her. He had to stop attending that class to avoid seeing her in the end… well, that and it was a really boring class.

"For you? Of course," Galinda smiled at him.

As they headed over to the _Wilted Rose, _Galinda linked her arm through Fiyero's. He was uncomfortable with that slightly, given what he was about to say, but he didn't remove her arm.

"Hi, Miss Galinda!" gushed the Munchkin boy who's room was across the hall from Fiyero's, Boq as they passed him coming out of the library.

"Hello, Bick," she replied vaguely, not even really glancing at him.

"It's Boq," Fiyero heard the Munchkin say awkwardly, and he sent a sympathetic glance over his shoulder to the boy as he and Galinda kept walking.

When they were seated with their coffees, with a strange sense of déjà vu, Fiyero cleared his throat awkwardly.

"So, uh… I know we haven't known each other that long, but I…"

Fiyero saw Galinda's hopeful gaze and steeled himself for her response. Hopefully she wasn't one of the violent ones when faced with rejection. Fiyero had come across a few in his time.

"Look, Galinda… you're a lovely person and I've really enjoyed getting to know you," he said. "But I thought I owed it to you, to let you know that… I'm not interested in… dating you," he told her honestly, and held his breath.

Galinda went still for a moment, and then cocked her head slightly with a small frown, as though she'd misheard.

"I don't understand," she said finally, looking utterly bewildered. "We're perfect together."

"Maybe," Fiyero admitted. "But I just…"

"Is it someone else?"

Fiyero wasn't sure to say to that. "Technically," he said carefully.

Nothing had happened between him and Elphaba, but he wanted Galinda's advice on the matter and it felt wrong to lead Galinda on when he had no intention of dating her. Huh… this was another new concept for Fiyero. He really was growing since he'd been at Shiz, wasn't he?

Galinda was flummoxed. Who else was there on campus that was good enough for Fiyero? After her, the prettiest girl on campus was Nessarose Thropp, but she and Fiyero barely interacted… and then it clicked.

"You like _Elphaba?"_

Fiyero choked on his coffee. "I never said that!" he protested, which gave Galinda her answer.

"Elphaba?" Galinda repeated, completely horrified by the idea she was being rejected by the most perfect boy in all of Oz for the _green girl. _

"How can you like _her?_" Galinda demanded, which confused Fiyero.

"What? Why would you ask that? Isn't she like… your best friend?"

Galinda stammered and giggled nervously. "Of course she is! I just meant… well, boys don't typically show an interest in her and I… I'd like to make sure this isn't just a cruel joke or something."

Actually, a small part of Galinda thought that would be a really funny joke, but she forced herself to look concerned at the idea instead of amused.

But Fiyero bought it, and nodded as he ran a hand through his hair distractedly. "Well, I am genuinely interested. She's… different. But I just wanted to clear this up between us before there were any- misunderstandings… and I hope we can be friends?"

Galinda forced a smile, trying to think of her image. She didn't want to be known as one of the crazy girls in love with Fiyero- there were enough of them throughout Oz already.

"Of course. What are you going to do about nothing about Elphaba?" she asked curiously.

Fiyero shrugged. "What I've been doing for the past week and a half. I don't think she likes me very much. Has she said anything to you?"

Galinda shook her head, which was true. She and Elphaba hardly spoke when in their room- unless necessary.

Fiyero sighed. So, he'd keep doing what he was doing, and try to get Elphaba to talk to him. She couldn't resist forever, could she?


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**Chapter Six**

It was perhaps the greatest moment of Elphaba's life when the two weeks were up since her accident and she was able to stop using the crutches. The doctor was pleased with the way her knee was mending, and although she still had to wear a knee brace for another two weeks and attend physical therapy for the next three, she could walk without assistance.

She had thought that would also mean she would be seeing less of Fiyero, now that his debt was repaid- but to her confusion and slight annoyance, he didn't seem to be going away.

And Galinda, to Elphaba's confusion, was acting even colder than she was before towards her, but every now and then, she would catch her roommate staring at her with a slight frown, as though something about Elphaba puzzled her.

One day, she was sitting with Nessa in the courtyard, proofreading her sister's history essay for her, when a shadow fell over her.

"Hey, Fae," Fiyero greeted her cheerfully.

As she always did when he referred to her by his self-coined nickname, Elphaba ignored him, but Nessa smiled at the prince pleasantly.

"Hello, Fiyero."

"Miss Nessarose. May I join you two lovely ladies?"

"Of course," Nessa gestured for him to sit down and he did. "What have you been up to?"

Fiyero shrugged. "Nothing much."

"Clearly not attending our Life Sciences class," Elphaba said dryly.

Fiyero grinned at her. "Did you miss me?"

"No, it was a nice change not having anyone trying to pass me notes all through the lecture, actually," Elphaba replied, not looking up.

Fiyero laughed. "I can't help it if I'd rather talk to you than listen to the teacher," he said flatteringly and she rolled her eyes.

Not put-off by her lack of response, Fiyero pulled out the mail he'd picked up today- nothing much, just a letter from Kastle.

As Elphaba was still poring over Nessa's essay, and Nessa was reading a book of poetry, Fiyero opened the letter and began to read.

_Dear Yero,_

_Congratulotions! You've passed the two week mark at Shiz! Although, I think mom and dad are a little worried- two weeks and they haven't received a single letter about your behaviour. _

_Tell me honestly, how are you liking it? Besides having Avaric run over someone in the first five minutes, I mean. He's still pretty guilt-ridden over that, by the way. Dad gave him a small lecture when he came back to Kiamo Ko, but nothing too bad- he feels really awful so, mom and dad agreed they didn't want to kick him when he was down. I don't think he'll be driving you to your next school. _

_Nothing much to report here. Anton and I are both busy- you know the usual royal duties you'll have to deal with once you actually graduate. And Noak is happy, healthy and spoiled rotten by mom and dad. So, same old, same old. Do you remember what it was like to be four? So innocent and carefree… the biggest worry was what would be for dessert that night._

_So, really, you haven't changed much. Just kidding, Yero. _

_Noak can't wait until you come home for Lurlinemas. He's under the impression his favourite uncle is going to bring him a puppy (please don't. I beg of you), which you may be able to tell by the picture he's sent you- which I've enclosed. _

_This is just a short letter- Anton and I are on our way to a gala to raise money for the new orphanage in the Greater Kells. Just because it was my idea, does that really mean they have to name it after me? The Princess Kastle Orphanage… I don't think I could look more stuck up unless I insisted they build a gold statue of me in the foyer. _

_Anyway, I realise you have an allergy to homework and writing, but it wouldn't kill you to reply to this letter for once. Just a sign you're alive and there isn't an imposter going by the name "Fiyero Tiggular" at Shiz. Seriously, mom and dad are worried they haven't heard from the school by now._

_Lots of love from Anton and Noak (and me, of course),_

_Kastle._

Fiyero rolled his eyes at his sister as he unfolded the second piece of paper that had been in the envelope. And then he smiled. Noak, his four year old nephew, had drawn a picture of two figures, clearly labelled "Noak" and "Uncle Yero", and in between them was a brown shape with "puppy" written above it. Fiyero's drawn self was holding a red ball in his hand, they were evidently playing with "puppy".

It was very cute, and very much like his nephew to use the picture to hint for Lurlinemas present ideas. Fiyero laughed quietly, which caught the Thropp girls' attention.

"What's that?" Nessa asked, seeing the picture.

Fiyero grinned as he held it up. "Picture from my nephew."

Elphaba glanced up. "'Uncle Yero', huh?" she asked, smiling slightly.

Fiyero nodded. "Yeah. 'Fiyero' was coming out as 'Ferro' and my sister's always called me Yero, so it stuck."

"Your sister's older than you, isn't she?" Nessa asked. "How old is your nephew?"

"Kastle's five years older than me, and Noak's four," Fiyero answered happily. "He's a great kid. I don't get to see him as much as I'd like," he admitted.

Elphaba was about to make a sarcastic remark about that maybe having something to do with Fiyero's habit of getting expelled repeatedly until he had no choice but to go further from home, but as she looked up, something stopped her.

Fiyero was gazing at the picture, and he looked… _sad_. Elphaba saw in that moment how much he genuinely loved his nephew and missed the little boy. She felt a small stir of sympathy towards the prince. It can't be easy, she figured, being away from his family. She wasn't close enough with her father to know how it felt, and she had never been away from Nessa.

For the first time since they'd met, Elphaba was sure she could see a real person there- that there was more to Fiyero Tiggular than the shallow, self-absorbed prince who had first introduced himself to her in the hospital. She was just about to say something sympathetic, maybe even open a real conversation with him, when a group of girls walked past and Fiyero hastily stowed the letter and drawing away in his bag.

"Hi, Fiyero!" one of the girls called. "We're going to the _Wilted Rose _to make plans for tonight- _OzDust, _eight o'clock_. _Do you want to come?"

Fiyero jumped to his feet. "That depends, do you promise me a dance?" he smiled at them and she blushed and nodded, giggling slightly.

Fiyero didn't even look back at Elphaba and Nessa as he left with them, and Elphaba rolled her eyes. Maybe there _wasn't_ more to Fiyero, after all.

It was two days after this when Galinda entered their dorm room, as Elphaba lay on her bed, reading, tired and sore after a physical therapy session at the hospital.

The blonde girl sat down on her pink covered bed and looked at Elphaba, who eventually looked up slowly, feeling Galinda's eyes on her.

"Yes?" she asked inquisitively.

"What's your problem with Fiyero?"

Elphaba was taken aback. She hadn't expected that. "Excuse me?"

"What's your problem with Fiyero?" Galinda repeated. "Every time he speaks to you, you act like he's just annoying you."

"That's because every time he speaks to me, he _is _annoying me," Elphaba retorted, returning to her book.

Galinda continued to stare at her, and eventually Elphaba heaved a sigh and closed her book, sitting up to face her roommate.

"You want to know my problem with Fiyero?" she asked. "It's the same problem I have with you. I have _never_ pretended to be someone I'm not, and I'm not going to waste my time and effort on people who do. Happy now?"

Galinda was stunned. "What do you mean? I don't do that!" she gaped.

Elphaba snorted. "_Really?_ You go around campus acting like you're so sweet and good and you're friends with everyone; but this is probably the longest conversation we've ever had because my skin is different than everyone else's. You've been pretending that we're friends to impress Fiyero, but you don't even know the name of the Munchkin boy who anyone can see is madly in love with you!"

Galinda stammered, not wanting to admit that the green girl was right. "Y-You mean Bick?"

"It's Boq," Elphaba corrected her.

"Whatever," Galinda said dismissively. "Fiyero doesn't do that. You don't know what you're talking about."

"I know his '_dancing through life' _philosophy is crap," Elphaba retorted. "He may believe what he's saying, but he's not happy. He's miserable."

Galinda frowned slightly. "What makes you think that?"

"Happy people usually don't need to get frequently drunk to enjoy themselves," Elphaba replied, although she wasn't exactly known as a happy person herself, and she rarely drank any alcohol.

"And if you see him talking about his sister or his nephew, you can see it. He's not happy. All that stuff about being worry-free and not thinking is stupid. All he ever says to me are misguided attempts at flattery and flirting, but then he is more preoccupied with any pretty girl on campus who so much as _blinks_ at him. And then you ask what my problem is with him?"

"Fiyero has a nephew?" Galinda asked in confusion, she hadn't known that.

Elphaba looked at her pointedly. "You just proved my point."

Galinda dismissed that. "That doesn't mean anything!"

"If he was really as self-absorbed as he acts, he wouldn't have insisted on helping me when I was on crutches, or he would have given up after a day or two. Trust me, I've lived my whole life with people pretending to be something they aren't."

Even Galinda couldn't miss the bitter underlying tone in Elphaba's last sentence.

"What do you mean?" she asked curiously.

"Never mind," Elphaba said sharply. She wasn't going to talk about her father with _Galinda_, of all people.

Galinda fell silent. She had never really thought about it before, but maybe Elphaba _was _right. Was she pretending to be someone she wasn't?

"So, you think I'm a horrendible person?" she asked in a small voice, as Elphaba reached for her book again.

Elphaba paused. "I think you're so worried about people liking you and what they think of you, that you don't stop to get to know people if they're not outwardly perfect," she replied quietly.

Galinda scoffed. "I'm not _worried _about people liking me. They just do," she shrugged.

"And how many of them actually _know _you?" Elphaba questioned.

"Milla, Pfannee and Shen-Shen…" Galinda began, but trailed off uncertainly.

"They know what you want them to know. Do they know anything _real_ about you?"

Galinda was uncomfortable with these questions, so she turned them back on Elphaba. "What about you? Does anyone know you?"

Elphaba looked her directly in the eyes. "My sister. Only because she's had no choice. No one else has ever bothered."

Galinda was surprised by how bad she felt about that.

"So… what, you think _you _know me?"

"I probably know the real you better than anyone, only because we're stuck in this room together," Elphaba shrugged.

Galinda raised an eyebrow challengingly. "Really? Prove it."

Elphaba sighed reluctantly, trying to think of an example.

"You love your family," she said finally.

Galinda scoffed. "That doesn't count. Everyone loves their family."

"I suppose, but your family means more to you than anything," Elphaba amended.

The blonde paused. "What makes you say that?"

Elphaba sighed tiredly, wondering how in Oz's name she had been drawn into this conversation. "You call your parents 'Momsie' and 'Popsicle', which are utterly ridiculous names, I might add. You hate the hats your grandmother buys you because you think they're ugly, but you'll never say anything because you don't want to hurt her feelings. Instead, you write thank you notes and stick the hat boxes in the back of your closet."

Galinda looked stunned and Elphaba actually gave a faint smile.

"I was here when you opened one. _This _one, actually," she pointed to the black hat sitting on her bedpost that Galinda had given her in the hospital.

"Oh," was all Galinda could say.

Elphaba leaned back against her pillows and picked up her book again.

"For all I know, Fiyero is a nice guy," she admitted. "But I don't _know _him, I only know the partying, womanizing, idiot everyone thinks he is. And I'm not interested in getting to know that guy."

With that, she began reading again and ignored Galinda.

Galinda tried to shrug off what Elphaba had said to her, both about herself and Fiyero. She and the girls had planned a manicure party in Pfannee and Shen-Shen's shared dorm room, so she went and tried to forget her roommate's words.

"Galinda?" Milla asked her, when they'd been there for about half an hour. "Are you alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Galinda frowned.

"You're just quiet tonight is all," Milla shrugged.

Shen-Shen turned to her sympathetically. "What did the Artichoke do now?"

"What makes you think she did something?" Galinda asked, surprised.

Pfannee snorted. "Because that's what she does. She's done nothing but make your life miserable since we _got_ here."

"At least you just got stuck sharing a room with her, Galinda," Milla added. "Can you imagine being her _sister?_ Poor Nessarose, having to admit that green _thing_ is related to you."

Galinda felt the need to interject here- after all, she had seen Elphaba and Nessa together numerous times and they seemed to be pretty close.

"They grew up together," she reminded them. "The green wouldn't bother Nessa, I don't think."

"Well, it bothers me," Pfannee sniffed. "I wish we didn't have to look at her. It's a horrendible colour."

"And she knows it too," Shen-Shen giggled. "The way she dresses, I don't think she's ever looked in a mirror."

"That's not true," Galinda defended her roommate, but Pfannee spoke over her.

"Good thing too. The glass would probably break."

Milla shook her head. "I just don't know how you do it, Galinda. She's just such a cold, heartless person."

"How do you know that?" Galinda demanded, frowning. "Have you ever even spoken to her?"

The three girls looked at her in shock.

"Are you _defending_ her?" Shen-Shen gaped.

"_Why?_" Milla asked.

Pfannee raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you've been spending too much time with her. And Fiyero never even asked you out! What a waste!"

Galinda was thoroughly annoyed. "It wasn't a waste!" she retorted. "And I'm just saying you can't say she's a cold person when the only time you've ever spoken with her is when you're insulting her."

They were still staring at her like they didn't know who she was, and Galinda abruptly jumped up and gathered her things.

"I've got to go," she said and left.

Without even thinking about it, she headed back to her dorm room. Elphaba was still reading and she looked up instinctively when the door opened.

Seeing it was only Galinda, she lowered her eyes again. But her eyes jolted up again when she felt a weight on the end of her bed. Looking up, she saw Galinda sit apprehensively on the end of her bed- she'd never done that before.

"What is it?" Elphaba asked in bewilderment. "I thought you were doing… whatever."

"I was," Galinda admitted. "But then I… I thought I'd rather do something more practical."

Elphaba was still confused. "Like what?"

"Like," Galinda replied slowly. "Getting to know my roommate?" she asked shyly.

Elphaba was wary, sure this was a joke or something. "Why would you do that?"

Galinda shrugged. "Because I find it sad that the only person who knows you is your sister."

Elphaba stiffened. "Don't feel obligated," she said stiffly, but Galinda shook her head.

"I don't."

Elphaba studied the other girl's face carefully, but she seemed to be sincere. However, Elphaba was still sceptical.

"What exactly do you want me to say?" she asked finally.

Galinda's face brightened. "Let's tell each other something we've never told anyone!" she suggested excitedly.

Elphaba slowly put her book away. She wasn't sure what had happened with her roommate, but Elphaba wasn't going to turn down an olive branch when it was offered to her.

And really, what was the worst that could happen?

**AN. Aw, the beginning of Gelphie friendship! **


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. So, I'm updating only a few hours early (Saturday night instead of Sunday morning), because my parents are here for the weekend (hooray! I miss them), and I don't think I'll have time tomorrow to update. Still expect chapter 8 on Tuesday though.**

**Chapter Seven**

Fiyero had decided to give up on Elphaba.

He'd been at Shiz for six weeks now, six weeks since he had first met Elphaba, six weeks that he'd been trying to win her over and get her to look at him with something other than irritation.

And nothing had worked. There had been a few rare moments where she'd said something to him, or they'd begun a conversation that had given him hope, but then something would happen and she'd make a sarcastic comment and ignore him again.

And he'd come to the conclusion that it was hopeless. Elphaba would never give him the time of day and he should just give up now.

"What do you mean you're giving up?" Galinda asked in surprise.

Fiyero had seen her sitting in the courtyard waiting for Elphaba to finish her sorcery class, and come over to keep her company.

He'd noticed in the last few weeks that Galinda was spending less time with Milla, Pfannee and Shen-Shen, and more of her time with Elphaba. When he'd asked her about it, Galinda had simply shrugged and said,

"I know who my real friends are," and Fiyero didn't like to ask any more than that.

They'd been making conversation when Galinda had asked if he was any closer to asking Elphaba out. That had been Fiyero had shaken his head and told her he was giving up.

He sighed. "Galinda, she doesn't want anything to do with me. And look, it was probably just a crush or something."

Galinda frowned. "You mean… you only liked her because she _doesn't_ like you?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know," he admitted.

Galinda thought about what Elphaba had told her about her issue with Fiyero, the day they had begun tentatively forming their new friendship. Elphaba's words crossed her mind often, and she'd come to the conclusion that Elphaba was right. Fiyero wasn't happy, and she could see it when she caught him trying his hardest to get Elphaba to look at him.

"Maybe you're going about this the wrong way," she suggested. She didn't want to tell Fiyero what Elphaba had said about him, but there was nothing wrong with helping, right?

"What do you mean?" Fiyero asked.

Galinda shrugged. "Well, you say that you like Elphaba because she's different than the other girls. But you're trying to get closer to her the same way you do every other girl, aren't you?"

Fiyero had to admit that was true.

"So, maybe with Elphie… you have to go about it differently."

"Differently how?" Fiyero frowned.

Galinda was about to say something when she saw Elphaba crossing the courtyard towards them.

"Hi, Elphie! How was class?" she called out.

"It was fine, Glin," Elphaba replied, smiling slightly.

That was another new development of recent weeks. The first time that Fiyero had heard Elphaba call her Galinda "Glin" he had questioned it, and Elphaba had actually answered.

"I decided if Galinda is going to call me that Oz-awful nickname, the appropriate thing to do was to create a nickname for her that she hates. Hopefully, she'll drop the 'Elphie'."

It had been a good idea, but Elphaba had underestimated Galinda.

"I've decided to be the bigger person here, and embrace 'Glin' as a nickname," Galinda announced a few days after this and Elphaba had sighed heavily.

So, both 'Glin' and 'Elphie' had stuck, but Fiyero was continuing to refer to Elphaba as 'Fae'- not that she ever answered to it.

"Want to go get a coffee before we go back to the room?" Galinda suggested and Elphaba agreed.

"What have you girls planned for tonight?" Fiyero asked casually, not addressing either girl specifically.

"Just going to study for that Life Sciences quiz we have on Friday," Galinda answered. "What about you?"

Fiyero shrugged as he got to his feet. "No plans. Probably just hang out in my room… I should probably write back to my sister's latest letter. Who knows, I might even study for the quiz," he grinned. "See you later, girls."

"Bye," Galinda waved after him.

"Bye."

Fiyero almost turned around when he heard Elphaba's voice, but he forced himself not to. After all, "Bye" wasn't that big of a deal, and it wasn't the first time. Some days, a "hello" or "goodbye" were the only words she'd say to him.

Over the next few days, Fiyero kept his interactions with Elphaba short and simple. He wasn't avoiding her, but he was no longer going out of his way to try and engage her in conversation. And he stopped calling her "Fae", knowing she wouldn't answer.

He'd say "hello" and "goodbye", he asked her what she'd thought of the quiz as they'd left Life Sciences on Friday; and he'd gotten a few short replies in return, although for the first day or two she'd looked confused whenever he spoke to her.

On Monday, in class, their Life Sciences teacher returned their graded quizzes to them. Fiyero, who had only really glanced through his textbook for an hour or so on Thursday night when he couldn't sleep, took his without really looking at it.

He noted it was a 'D' and the teacher had scrawled "you need to do better than this for your mid-term if you want to do well" in the corner. It was nothing Fiyero hadn't heard before and he sighed.

"How'd you go, Fiyero?" Galinda asked at the end of class.

He shrugged. "Not great. You?"

"A 'B'," Galinda smiled, happily. "Elphie got an 'A', of course."

Fiyero wasn't surprised by that. He knew how smart Elphaba was.

"Maybe I should just copy you for my mid-term, huh, Fae?" he joked.

"You can't copy, but you can read my notes," Elphaba replied and it took Fiyero a minute to realise something.

"You answered!"

Elphaba looked over at him with a confused frown. "Yes," she said slowly. "You asked me a question and I answered. Isn't that how these things work?" she asked, a note of teasing in her voice.

Fiyero ignored that. "But I called you 'Fae'," he said and she sighed and shrugged.

"I know. It's better than 'Elphie' at least."

Fiyero grinned.

"Anyone up for the _Wilted Rose_ for lunch?" Galinda suggested, jumping on the rare moment of Elphaba and Fiyero talking.

"Sounds good," Fiyero nodded.

"Sure," Elphaba agreed. "Can I invite Nessa?"

Galinda had no problems with that, and Nessa looked thrillified to be include in the invitation. When they arrived at the café, it was crowded- clearly many students had had the same idea.

"Maybe we should go… I don't think we're going to find a table," Galinda said doubtfully, looking around.

Boq, who had been sitting with Teron at a table in a corner near the door, jumped up when he saw the blonde.

"Miss Galinda! You- you can join us, if you'd like. There's plenty of room," he asked shyly.

Galinda glanced at Elphaba, who raised an eyebrow slightly. Remembering her friend's words about getting to know people, and pretending to be something she wasn't, she smiled gratefully at the Munchkin boy as she led the way over.

"Thank you… Boq," she accepted, sitting down.

Boq's eyes widened and his face flushed at the mere fact Galinda had actually gotten his name right.

Elphaba smirked slightly and she nudged Galinda subtly under the table. Galinda rolled her eyes, but she smiled.

"Does everyone know everyone?" she asked, looking around the table.

"Nessa, Fiyero, Elphi… _Elphaba_," Galinda hastily amended as Elphaba's eyes narrowed. Galinda was the only one she would tolerate 'Elphie' from. "Boq, and Teron, isn't it?"

"Yes," Teron nodded with a smile.

"And well, everyone knows me!" she added with a giggle.

"How did everyone do in the quiz?" Nessa asked once they had ordered, to break the small silence that had fallen.

Boq and Teron were a bit intimidated, to be sitting at a table with Galinda Upland, Fiyero Tiggular _and _the green girl, of all people. But Nessa's question broke the ice, and they began to talk as they ate.

Elphaba didn't say much at first, which was rare for her, but she was soon drawn into discussing the quiz with Teron, who felt like he had been graded wrongly. Fiyero was only half-listening, it was a conversation about _school_, after all.

He desperately wanted to talk to Elphaba. She wasn't one to suddenly change her mind, for her to start talking to him, something must have happened. And he wanted to know what.

They actually had a nice meal together, although Fiyero didn't miss that it took Elphaba half the meal to relax. After they'd eaten, Elphaba stood up to leave.

"I've got a library book to return," she explained when Galinda protested.

Fiyero, seizing his opportunity, stood up too. "Mind if I walk with you?"

Elphaba looked at him carefully. "I suppose," she said finally, and Fiyero grinned.

They bid the others goodbye and headed towards the library.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked her and Elphaba was wary, hoping he wasn't about to say something stupid.

"Sure," she agreed.

"Why did you start talking to me?" Fiyero asked, not beating around the bush. "As far as I can see it, you only started talking to me when I _stopped _talking to you. If it was any other girl, I'd say you were playing hard to get."

"But?" Elphaba raised an eyebrow.

"But I don't think you're the type of girl to do that," Fiyero finished and she laughed.

"The type of girl…" she trailed off, then stopped walking and turned to him.

"Do you honestly want to know why?"

Fiyero nodded without hesitation.

Elphaba looked at him solemnly. "I started talking to you when _you_ actually started talking to me."

Fiyero frowned in confusion. "What?"

She rolled her eyes at his bewildered expression. "I'm not interested in being flattered or flirted at," she said bluntly. "There's a few brief moments when you drop the whole 'scandalacious playboy prince' behaviour and are actually a real human being. You can deny it, and you can try and hide it, but there's more to you than that 'dancing through life' crap."

"OK, do you _always _have to refer to it as 'crap'?" Fiyero interjected, trying to understand what she was saying.

"I just call it as I see it," she retorted, with a faint smirk.

"So, what are you saying?" Fiyero asked her.

"I'm saying that you're not happy. And I don't think you're as shallow and self-absorbed as you act, you're just pretending to be."

Fiyero tried to protest. "There's no pretence here. I happen to be genuinely self-absorbed and _deeply _shallow."

Elphaba just stared at him, then continued as though he hadn't interrupted. "But the guy I saw who thinks his nephew's pictures are the greatest thing in the world? _That's _someone I wouldn't mind talking to. Maybe even being friends with."

Fiyero blinked at her.

"Galinda was right," he said, almost in wonder. All that stuff she had said about not being able to get Elphaba's attention the way he had every other girl in the past… Fiyero hadn't given it much thought, but she was _right._

It was Elphaba's turn to frown in confusion. "What? Galinda was right about _what_?"

"Nothing," Fiyero said hastily. "So… are we friends now?"

Elphaba hesitated. She'd never had friends, until she and Galinda had talked a few weeks ago.

"I guess," she said uncomfortably.

Fiyero couldn't help but push his limits a little. "Or you could go out with me?" he suggested.

Elphaba laughed. "Yeah, right," she rolled her eyes and walked off.

Fiyero hurried after her. "I wasn't joking, you know!"

**AN. Random question! Has anyone read Daphne Du Maurier's _Rebecca_? (Just go with it).**


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**Chapter Eight**

_One date._

Elphaba ignored the piece of paper that was slipped onto her desk in their literature lecture. It wasn't the first like it she'd received in the last few days, she doubted it would be the last; and she was very close to giving Fiyero the silent treatment again.

For the last week, he'd been constantly trying to convince her to go out with him, for reasons Elphaba couldn't understand.

"Do you have a bet going on or something?" she'd demanded the night before when Fiyero had again asked her out for the millionth time.

Fiyero stared at her. "No," he said slowly.

"Then why in Oz's name are you so insistent on this?"

"I don't understand why you're so against the idea," Fiyero complained. "Most girls would be _dying_ to go out with me!"

Elphaba glared at him. "Well, _that's _changed my mind," she said sarcastically and grabbed her bag as she stormed off.

Fiyero winced and sighed. He'd really been trying over the last few days to remember what Elphaba had said and actually talk to her normally, instead of flirting and dropping flattering lines. But every now and then, he slipped up and Elphaba wasn't hesitant to resort back to not talking to him when he did. Apparently, that included making stupid comments like that one.

"You must be the only girl on campus who doesn't want to date Fiyero," Galinda said thoughtfully to Elphaba that night.

She was sitting in front of her mirror, measuring her hair as Elphaba worked on homework. Galinda, much to Elphaba's combined amusement, exasperation and frustration, _always _kept her blonde curls exactly four and three quarter inches past her shoulders. The second it got any longer than that, she was at the hair salon faster than you could blink.

When Elphaba had questioned it, once when Galinda had been distraught because the salon was closed (it was a Sunday), the blonde had looked at her solemnly.

"It's the perfect length for my hair," she'd explained. "Any longer, and it is just a horrible mess of dead ends. My hair can_not _have dead ends!"

Elphaba had almost laughed in her face at that, but her friend looked like she was about to cry, so she'd resisted the temptation.

Now, at Galinda's comment, Elphaba looked up from her homework and rolled her eyes.

"So Fiyero keeps telling me."

Galinda ignored that, and satisfied her hair was still perfect, turned around to look at Elphaba.

"You're really not interested in him?"

Elphaba sighed heavily. Clearly, Galinda wasn't going to let this go. "Interested how?" she asked.

Galinda looked at her like she was stupid. "_Interested. _Like… romantically. Don't you want to date him?"

"Galinda, if I wasn't interested in being flirted with like every other girl, why would I be interested in dating him like every other girl?" Elphaba asked logically, putting down her pen and giving up on her homework.

Galinda paused, trying to think that over. "But it's _Fiyero Tiggular!"_

Elphaba gaped at her in mock shock. "Oh. My. Oz. _The _Fiyero Tiggular, who's known for flirting and bedding pretty much every girl in Oz?" she exclaimed, doing a pretty good impression of Galinda and the girls who had swooned over Fiyero since his arrival or any time his name was mentioned.

"Why didn't you say so? How could I pass up the opportunity to be flirted with and manipulated into bed with such a _scandalacious_ prince, only to be forgotten by the next day?" she continued.

Galinda frowned at her, unimpressed. "That's not funny, Elphaba. You go on about how Fiyero's pretending to be something he's not, and about how you hate people making assumptions about you based on your skin. So, if Fiyero's showing you the real him, why are you making assumptions based on his reputation?"

Elphaba stared at her roommate, this time in genuine shock. "That's a really smart thing to say, Glin," she said and Galinda shrugged.

"They're your words. I'm just turning them back on you," she replied smugly.

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Thanks for that."

"I just think you should give him a chance," Galinda tried to convince her.

Elphaba sighed. "Galinda, I'm just not interested in dating, okay? Dating _anyone. _This isn't just about Fiyero Tiggular. And besides, I thought _you _wanted to date him. Wasn't that the whole reason you started talking to me in the first place?_"_

Galinda waved a hand dismissively. "That was like forever ago. Fiyero and I are just friends. And _don't _try and change the subject, Elphie."

Elphaba wrinkled her nose. It had been worth a try. "Glin, I really don't want to talk about this anymore. Can I please just finish my homework?" she asked.

"Ok, but I'm just saying- I don't think he's going to give up," Galinda said, and Elphaba ignored her, turning back to her homework. But she had a sinking feeling Galinda was right.

In recent weeks, Elphaba, Galinda, Fiyero and Nessa had begun sitting together at the same table in the cafeteria. Sometimes Boq and Teron would join them, but not always.

The morning after Galinda and Elphaba's discussion, they were sitting there quietly when Fiyero arrived.

"Good morning," he greeted them, sitting down opposite Elphaba.

"Morning, Fiyero," Galinda sang back, whilst Elphaba merely murmured a greeting.

Fiyero took a sip of his coffee before turning to Elphaba. "So, Fae? I've been thinking-"

Elphaba looked up from her breakfast in shock. "You're _thinking?_ Doesn't that go against your whole way of life?"

Fiyero rolled his eyes. "Ok, not the point. The point is- you should go out with me."

"Such a convincing argument," Elphaba mocked him and returned to her breakfast.

"Such a convincing rebuttal," he retorted promptly.

Elphaba sighed. "Do you harass _every_ girl who refuses to go out with you?" she demanded frustratedly.

Fiyero opened his mouth to reply with the simple fact that there were very few girls he'd come across who had ever refused to go out with him, but stopped himself just in time. But Elphaba seemed to know what he'd been about to say anyway and rolled her eyes.

"Good morning," Nessa greeted them, as she wheeled herself up to the table.

Fiyero pounced on her, hoping he'd find an ally. "Nessarose! Will you tell your sister she should go out with me?"

Nessa looked startled, and her eyes flickered between her sister and Fiyero in bewilderment.

"You asked Elphaba out?"

Although Elphaba didn't understand Fiyero's reasons either, she was a bit stung by the surprise and scepticism in her sister's voice.

"Yes," Fiyero confirmed.

"And she said no?" Nessa asked him, trying to understand the full situation.

"Yes," Fiyero said again, nodding.

Nessa bit her lip. "I don't think our father would approve of you two dating."

Elphaba frowned. That may be true, but even if she did have an interest in dating Fiyero, her father's opinion wouldn't be a factor.

"That's not why I said no," she answered Fiyero's unspoken question as his eyes immediately flew to hers.

Fiyero shrugged. "Then what's the problem? Do you not like me?"

Elphaba groaned. "Tiggular, I am _not _going to have the same conversation with you ten thousand times. Let's just establish, once and for all, that when you're not trying to _woo _me, yes I like you. We've established that we're friends, okay? Now, can we _please _move on?" she practically begged.

"Maybe I don't want to be friends," Fiyero challenged her and she narrowed her eyes.

"It's either friends, or I go back to not talking to you and resisting the urge to hex you. Your choice," she threatened and Fiyero quickly backtracked.

"I mean, maybe I don't want to be _just _friends."

Galinda couldn't resist the urge to chime in here. "Maybe she's not attracted to you, Fiyero," she suggested innocently.

Fiyero looked confused by that concept, and then turned to Elphaba.

"Is _that _it? You don't think I'm good looking?"

Elphaba was stunned. "I- I've never thought about it," she stammered honestly, completely flustered.

Strangely, Fiyero had no problem accepting that as the truth, but couldn't help but note it was the most uncomfortable he'd ever seen her around him.

"Well, maybe you should," Galinda suggested and Elphaba glared at her.

"Fabala, could you come with me to the bathroom before class, please?" Nessa asked and Elphaba agreed, thankful for the excuse to leave the table.

"I think it's a good thing you said no to Fiyero," Nessa said when they were alone, heading to class after leaving the bathroom.

"Oh?" Elphaba asked tiredly.

"Yes. He _seems _nice enough, but the things you hear… it would a horrendible disgrace to Father and our family if you were to become involved in a scandal with Fiyero."

Elphaba laughed hollowly. "Nessa, I'm _green_. As far as Father's concerned, I've been disgracing the family for the last twenty-two years."

"That's not true," Nessa protested, but Elphaba knew otherwise.

"Besides, if I _was _to go out with Fiyero, it would be _my_ business. Not Father's."

Nessa looked disapproving and Elphaba cut her off before they could end up in an argument.

"Nessarose, just drop it. OK? I'm not dating Fiyero, I'm not dating anyone. Why don't you worry about your own love life?"

Nessa, much to Elphaba's surprise, looked teary at these words. "I don't have one. No one wants to date a girl who can't walk," she said in a low voice.

Elphaba cringed, she always hated when her inability to walk kept Nessa from something. Especially knowing it was her fault.

"Nessa-"

"I'm not feeling well, actually. I think I'll go lie down," Nessa interrupted. "You should go to class, Elphaba. I'll see you later."

Elphaba stood there, watching her sister wheel herself away. She wanted to go after her and apologise, but she knew Nessa would want her space right now. Instead, she continued on her way to history class, planning to go see her sister afterwards and make sure she was alright.

When she arrived at the classroom, Galinda and Fiyero weren't there yet. That didn't surprise Elphaba, given that neither were known for their punctuality. So, she sat there as her classmates slowly trickled in and took their usual seats.

Elphaba was oblivious to the chatter around her though, she was too busy thinking over Galinda's words from earlier. Did she think Fiyero was attractive? It was genuinely something she'd never thought about- not just about Fiyero but any man. By the time she had been old enough to think about boys, she'd come to understand how people felt about her skin and that no man would ever _want _to date her.

So, it had only seemed foolish to think about it. Until now, apparently.

Fiyero and Galinda arrived with two minutes to spare, which was usual for Galinda and practically early for Fiyero. Fiyero took the empty seat next to Elphaba.

"Hey, Fae. Where's Nessa?" he asked.

"She wasn't feeling well, so she went to lie down," Elphaba replied.

Fiyero accepted that and turned around in his seat to talk to Boq and Teron, who were sitting behind them.

As if she was interested in the conversation, Elphaba turned slightly in her seat so she could subtly study Fiyero's features. She didn't know much about gauging a person's attractiveness, but she knew that every girl on campus (and countless others throughout Oz) thought that Fiyero was the ideal of what a handsome young man should be.

Just looking from the side on, Elphaba thought about it. Fiyero had a strong jaw and a nice nose, it was neither too long, too sharp or too rounded. His light brown, almost honey-coloured hair was not too long and it was neat without being styled. But what really drew your attention to him, Elphaba realised, was his eyes.

They were blue- Elphaba didn't care enough to worry about what _shade _of blue, although she'd overheard enough conversations between Galinda and her former posse when she'd first gotten out of hospital to know _azure _was the correct shade (apparently. As far as Elphaba was concerned, they were blue. End of story). But they were always alight and very peaceful and calm looking.

So, yes, Elphaba decided as she faced the front again, Fiyero was attractive. But did that make her suddenly want to go out with him? No. For the first time, it was somewhat tempting to say yes, but no.

"Have you thought about it yet?" Fiyero murmured.

Elphaba jumped slightly, not expecting to have him lean towards her and murmur in her ear.

"Thought about what?" she asked.

"Whether I'm good-looking or not?" he asked her with a teasing grin.

Elphaba wondered if he could read her mind, but then smiled and pretended to appraise him.

"Well, it could be worse," she said finally. "You could look like Boq."

Fiyero laughed quietly, and Boq leaned forward.

"Did you say my name?" he asked them, and Elphaba shook her head innocently.

"No."

Fiyero stifled his laughter as Boq leaned back in his seat.

"So, now that that's covered… what do you say, Fae? Dinner?" he asked and Elphaba looked to him in exasperation.

"Is that your only criteria for a date? To be good looking?" she demanded.

"Well, usually," Fiyero admitted without thinking. "But you-"

Galinda, sitting on Fiyero's other side, quickly elbowed him in the ribs when she realised what it would sound like to Elphaba. But the damage was already done.

Elphaba stared at Fiyero for a long moment.

"Right. Of course," she said and then turned to the front as Dr Dillamond began his lecture.

And Fiyero kicked himself.


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. So… how to get Elphaba to agree without the Lion Cub? That was my question! Hopefully you guys like it.**

**Early update at the request of Julia-Caesar!**

**There's also a line from _Tangled _in this chapter, if anyone can find it! (I really love that movie).**

**Chapter Nine**

As soon as class was over, Elphaba was out the door. And Fiyero was right behind her.

"Fae! Fae, _wait!"_

Elphaba ignored him, shrugging off his arm as he tried to make her stop. "I've got to check on Nessa," she said. "I'll see you later, Fiyero."

Fiyero was desperate, wanting to apologise and explain himself. "Elphaba, wait a minute."

He reached out and grabbed her hand, making her turn to him. Elphaba did so, but completely out of shock more than wanting to talk to him. It was the first time Fiyero had ever touched her, skin-to-skin, and the warm, tingling feeling that had shot up and down her arm, making goosebumps appear on her skin, had stunned her.

It wasn't just Elphaba either. Fiyero had felt them too, and was just as surprised. He looked up and found her eyes fixed on him, slightly wider than usual.

"Can I just talk to you for a minute, privately?" he asked.

Elphaba hesitated, not wanting to hear his apologies, but his hand was still clutching hers and it felt warm and strangely comforting.

She nodded, and Fiyero let out a sigh of relief, leading her into an empty classroom, reluctant to let go of her hand.

"Look, I didn't mean it like it sounded," Fiyero began, but Elphaba interrupted, withdrawing her hand from his.

"Forget it, Fiyero. It's not like I haven't heard it before," she said softly.

"I didn't mean that-"

"I know I'm not beautiful like Galinda or Nessa," she continued.

"No," Fiyero agreed slowly. "But you're beautiful like Elphaba."

"You don't have to lie to me," Elphaba protested.

"It's not lying!" Fiyero insisted. "It's… looking at things another way."

His voice became softer as he admitted. "I really think you're beautiful. I have since the day we met."

She laughed, not quite genuinely, but not sarcastically. "A lovely way of rephrasing 'the day you ran me over'," she said dryly.

Fiyero didn't bother pointing out that it had been _Avaric _who had technically run her over, he had been sleeping in the backseat. But that wasn't the issue here.

"I mean it, Elphaba," he said and Elphaba couldn't doubt his sincerity, though she did his sanity.

"Can you explain to me why you're so insistent on the idea of us dating?" she asked finally, her voice tired from days of arguing and protests. After all this, she just wanted to understand why.

Fiyero wasn't sure how to put it into words. "I just… I like you. I think you're beautiful, and smart, and I want to take you out. Are you honestly not interested?"

Elphaba paused. "I've never thought about it," she said truthfully.

Once again, Fiyero was sure that was true, and he wondered if it was because of her skin or because of other reasons. So, he made one last ditch argument, as only Fiyero Tiggular could. He didn't even think about it, which in this case was probably a good thing.

He stepped forward until he was standing in Elphaba's personal space, framed her face in his hands and gently kissed her on the lips.

Elphaba stiffened immediately, but her eyes closed of their own accord. If she had thought the feeling that rushed through her when Fiyero had grabbed her hand was a shock; albeit not an unpleasant one; it was nothing compared to the warm feeling that flooded her entire body as he kissed her.

After a long moment, Fiyero pulled away, but still held her face in his hands. He waited apprehensively for Elphaba to speak, to say something, _anything._

Finally, she did.

"I- I'm not like-"

Fiyero knew how she was going to finish that sentence, "_I'm not like the other girls you date" _and he cut her off before she could say it.

"I don't want you to be. Just let me take you to dinner, please?" he asked, almost begging. "I promise, if I say or do anything you don't like you can leave… or slap me, or whatever. You can even just consider it an apology dinner, if you'd rather. Please, Fae?"

Elphaba studied his face carefully as he slowly lowered his hands from her face. Then she sighed gracefully.

"Alright," she agreed and Fiyero grinned.

"Ok then. So, tonight? I'll pick you up at six."

Elphaba nodded, and Fiyero grinned at her one last time before leaving the room. Elphaba was stunned at herself. Had she really just agreed to go on a date with Fiyero Tiggular?

'_An apology dinner,_' she corrected herself. Fiyero had said himself she could refer to it as such, and Elphaba was definitely a lot more comfortable with that idea than the idea of going on a date.

Elphaba wasn't sure whether to kick herself for giving in, or to give in to the smile that was threatening to appear on her face. So, she decided to go and find Galinda instead and tell her friend the news.

She had no clue where Fiyero had disappeared to, and when she emerged into the corridor, there were few people about. Elphaba figured Galinda would be in their room, they didn't have a class for another two hours and Elphaba knew for a fact Galinda hadn't finished their homework. Apparently, measuring her hair and interrogating Elphaba over Fiyero took priority over homework.

Sure enough, when she entered their dorm room, Galinda was at her desk, frantically writing.

"Elphie, what did you write for question five? I can't find the answer in the textbook anywhere."

Elphaba glanced over her shoulder and pointed to the correct spot on the page. "It's in that paragraph."

Galinda blinked in surprise. "Oh. Thank you."

As she scribbled, she glanced over at Elphaba. "Did Fiyero apologise?"

Elphaba opened her mouth to reply, and then realised the words "I'm sorry" had never actually crossed Fiyero's lips. But the intent had been clear.

"Sort of. He was apologetic enough… he's taking me to dinner tonight."

Galinda dropped her pen and flew around in her seat. "As a _date? _You said yes?" she asked excitedly and Elphaba rolled her eyes.

"It's an apology dinner," she corrected, and to her surprise, Galinda rolled her own eyes.

"Elphie, it's a date. What time is he picking you up?" she demanded.

"He said six. Which in Fiyero's book, probably means anywhere between ten past and half past six," Elphaba replied dryly.

Galinda looked panicked. "_Six? _That doesn't leave much time!"

"Time for what?" Elphaba asked, mystified.

"To get ready, of course!" Galinda exclaimed in exasperation. "Where is he taking you?"

Elphaba shrugged. "No idea."

Galinda could only gape at her friend. _Clearly_, Elphaba's inexperience at dating was showing through here; Galinda always made a point of finding out where the lucky boy she was dating was planning to take her. Partly so she could ensure she was dressed appropriately, and partly because what a guy planned for a date showed a lot about his character.

"Oh, _sweetie_," she began sympathetically, much to Elphaba's confusion and amusement.

"OK, I'm going to go find Fiyero and get details from him. Then I'll be back and we'll find you something to wear, okay?"

Elphaba was taken aback. "What about your homework?" she asked, but Galinda was already out the door, hastily grabbing her bag on her way out.

Alone in the room, Elphaba recalled her earlier decision to visit Nessa and make sure her sister was okay. Not having the same warped priority system Galinda did, Elphaba (oddly enough) decided that her sister's welfare was more important than her own date- no, _apology_ _dinner_ and what she would wear.

When Elphaba knocked on the door, she hoped against hope Madame Morrible would not answer the door; Elphaba tried to limit her exposure to the HeadShiztress to their Sorcery lessons. Thankfully, her knock was only answered by Nessa's "Come in!" from within the room.

Nessa didn't look especially surprised to see her sister enter the room.

"Are you feeling any better?" Elphaba asked, although they both knew that Nessa's excuse of feeling unwell had been a lie.

"Yes, I am," Nessa nodded. "Did I miss much in history?"

Elphaba shrugged as she sat down. "Galinda was actually there, for a change. I brought you my notes," she said, handing them over.

"Thanks, Fabala."

The two sisters fell into a comfortable silence until Nessa broke it.

"I'm sorry, Elphaba. I shouldn't have pushed it. Like you said, you're not dating Fiyero, so my opinion on the subject is irrelevant."

Elphaba grimaced and hesitated. "Well…"

Nessa gaped. "You told me you weren't dating Fiyero!"

"I'm _not," _Elphaba hastened to explain. "He's just taking me to dinner tonight. He said something without thinking… not unusual for him, and he wants to apologise. That's all. I'm not dating him."

Nessa was doubtful. "He's taking you to dinner? That sounds like a date to me."

"Probably not the kind he's used to," Elphaba retorted and Nessa's eyes widened in horror at her sister's implication.

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Nessarose, I'm not going to sleep with Fiyero. Relax, will you? It's only dinner- or do you think that little of me?"

Nessa was obviously flustered. "No! I mean, of course not! I just…"

"Nessa, it's okay," Elphaba assured her sister tiredly. "Listen, I'd better go. Galinda's more worked up about tonight than me and Fiyero combined, and I need to make sure she doesn't have a stroke or something. But I'll see you in Life Sciences…or are you still feeling ill?"

"I'll be there," Nessa replied quietly and Elphaba left the room.

Elphaba felt a little sorry for Nessa as she walked back to her room. She knew Nessa's admission in the bathroom was still hanging over her, "no one wants to date a girl who can't walk."

Nessa was a romantic, she always had been. And although she was reputed for her "tragically beautiful" face, she was right- no one had ever been romantically interested in her. And that was fine, Nessa was only eighteen, there was still plenty of time for that, it was one reason Nessa had been so excited about coming to Shiz.

But for _Elphaba_ to be asked out first… even though she was older, no one had ever expected it to happen. No one ever bothered looking past the green to judge whether Elphaba was pretty or not.

"Elphie! Where have you _been?" _Galinda squealed impatiently as Elphaba opened the door.

Elphaba could only gape at the room. The entire contents of her closet were strewn across the room, and Galinda was standing there, looking at Elphaba's dresses laying on her bed, and tutting disapprovingly.

"Galinda… what are you doing?" she demanded.

"Trying to find you something to wear tonight!" Galinda replied as though it were obvious. "Are these _all _your clothes?"

"Yes," Elphaba said slowly, picking up on her roommate's tone. "Why? What's wrong with them?"

"Nothing," Galinda answered, just as slowly. "They're… they're pretty."

Elphaba rolled her eyes.

"Galinda, it's just dinner. Does it matter what I wear?"

"Yes!" Galinda looked insulted, as though Elphaba had just insinuated the sky wasn't blue. "Now, I asked Fiyero, and he's not taking you anywhere too fancy, which is good for a first date. Which means the dress code is not quite casual, not quite semi-formal. We'll have to skip Life Sciences, of course-"

"What?" Elphaba exclaimed in disbelief. She had _never _missed a class before. "Why in Oz's name-"

"There's so much to do, Elphie!" Galinda explained. "Your clothes, your hair, makeup, accessories…"

Elphaba moaned as she sat down on the end of her bed. "Galinda, do you _hate_ me? Why are you doing this to me?"

Galinda gave her a sympathetic look and sat down beside her. "Elphie, don't worry! You see, now that we're friends, I've decided to make you my new project!"

She was beaming at Elphaba, but the green girl just looked at her with barely concealed dismay.

"You _really _don't have to do that," Elphaba replied carefully.

"I know!" Galinda chirped. "That's what makes me so nice!"

Elphaba only just managed a faint smile, not trusting herself to say anything for fear of offending her friend.

What followed next was two and a half hours of make overs and much to Elphaba's disbelief- _hair-tossing _lessons, which Galinda stressed was of vital importance.

When Fiyero knocked on the door at three minutes past six- practically early for him, Elphaba was forced to suffer through one final approval from Galinda before she could answer the door.

She was wearing a knee-length black skirt she owned, with a tight-fitting dark grey top with a modest V-neck and three-quarter length sleeves that Galinda had found somewhere in her own closet and insisted she wear. Galinda had also applied faint make up to her face, and brushed her hair out, leaving it loose. It was driving Elphaba crazy, but Galinda wouldn't let her touch it. The outfit was finished with Elphaba's usual pair of boots.

When she opened the door, Fiyero's first expression was one of surprise.

"You weren't in class," was all he said, as Elphaba swiftly left the room and shut the door behind her, pulling on her coat and scarf as she did.

"No," she replied sourly. "I was being held hostage by Galinda and a mascara wand."

Fiyero laughed and she raised an eyebrow. "You think I'm joking?"

"No, I don't doubt you," he assured her. "But that explains why you look…"

Her eyebrow arched even higher as she stopped and turned to him. "I look _what _exactly?"

Fiyero paused, and forced himself to think about his words. "You look… you've been Galindafied," he said simply.

Elphaba sighed tiredly. That about summed it up. "Oh. Yeah."

Fiyero shrugged. "You don't have to do that, you know."

Elphaba looked up at him in surprise, not being able to think of anything to say in reply.

They headed outside in silence, but Elphaba stopped him just before they did.

"Give me one second," she ordered, and headed into the open bathroom at the end of the hall on the ground floor.

There, she turned on the tap and scrubbed all the makeup off her face, then pulled a hair elastic from her bag and tied her hair back into a long ponytail at the nape of her neck. Satisfied with her reflection, she left the room.

Fiyero smiled broadly when he saw what she'd done. She looked much more like Elphaba now.

"Are you ready?"

Elphaba nodded. "I'm ready. And… thank you," she said hesitantly.

Fiyero grinned. "You're welcome. I'm not as shallow as I seem."

"I know. That's been my point," Elphaba replied dryly.

He chuckled. "Well, don't go spreading it around. It could damage my reputation."

"And we wouldn't want that, would we?" she asked in mock pity.

Fiyero's grin broadened. "Hey, a fake reputation is all a man has!" he defended himself.

Elphaba rolled her eyes and Fiyero only smiled. Yeah, tonight was going to go well.

**AN. Fiyero finally did something right! Hooray!**

**I've also got a new poll on my profile. Please vote!**


	10. Chapter 10

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. If anyone was interested, the _Tangled _quote from chapter 9 was Fiyero's line "A fake reputation is all a man has!" When I was planning this (back in September!) and watching _Tangled, _I heard this line and thought of Fiyero!**

**Can anyone find the AVPM/ AVPS quote in this chapter? Well, it's a line that's in both.**

**Chapter Ten**

Rumours always spread quickly at Shiz, especially the less believable they were. People wanted confirmation on what they were hearing, and had to tell _somebody _just to be able to debate who would start such a ridiculous rumour and why- and how they thought anyone would be stupid enough to actually believe it.

When Shen-Shen told Pfannee and Milla that apparently, Fiyero Tiggular and Elphaba Thropp had been seen together at a restaurant in town, _Serenity, _they had both openly scoffed.

"Yeah, right. Who told you _that_ crap?" Pfannee asked sceptically.

"Rhoan… that really cute waiter!" Shen-Shen defended her source. "I met him after his shift last night and he said he served them."

Milla raised an eyebrow. "Shen, how did this come up exactly?"

Shen-Shen shrugged. "I was trying to be polite and asked how his shift was. He said he served a green girl…and really, how many green girls could there be? I asked if she was with anyone, and he said it was Fiyero Tiggular."

Pfannee was suspicious. "Just like that? You asked, he answered?"

"Well, _no," _Shen-Shen admitted. "At first he said he couldn't remember, but after we made out and I let him get to second base he remembered."

Pfannee and Milla exchanged knowing looks. To them, it was obvious. The waiter boy, who _was _cute, but far below Shen-Shen's league- had tried to impress her by saying he had served the Artichoke- even the townspeople knew of Elphaba by now. When Shen-Shen had pressed for details, he had 'pretended' to forget in order to make out with the popular girl. Then he had named the first male Shiz student he knew of, again everyone knew Fiyero's name.

"Think about this, Shen," Milla said gently. "Why would Fiyero Tiggular be out with the Artichoke?"

Shen-Shen had to admit the idea made no sense, but that was what she had been told and she stood by it.

So, of course, Pfannee and Milla couldn't help but pass it on when they were in their Life Sciences class.

"You'll never guess what a waiter at _Serenity _told Shen-Shen to try and impress her," Pfannee muttered to Finor, who was pretty much the male equivalent of Pfannee when it came to the Shiz social ladder. Fiyero was top of the males, of course, and somehow Galinda had managed to stay on top of the females, even after befriending the green girl.

"What?" Finor asked.

"He reckons that Fiyero and the Artichoke were there together last night."

Finor snorted. "Seriously? Did she believe him?"

Pfannee nodded and rolled her eyes. "Amazingly, yes. She even let him get to second base with her!"

Finor groaned. "_Really?_ Oz, what do I have to say to let me get to second base with you, woman?" he asked, only half teasingly.

Pfannee smirked and tossed her hair. "Honey, meet me in the janitor's closet after class and you might even get to third."

Finor grinned as their teacher arrived to begin the lecture. Only a few minutes in, Milla slipped Pfannee a note.

_Fiyero's sitting with her. That doesn't mean anything, does it?_

Pfannee flipped the scrap of paper over and scribbled on the back.

_No. He's friends with Galinda, isn't he? Who's friends with her. Poor boy doesn't have a choice._

And so it continued. Finor (after leaving Pfannee in the janitor's closet after class), told his friends what Pfannee had told him, and how simple Shen-Shen had believed the waiter and how far she'd let him go for the information.

They all laughed at Shen-Shen's expense, and more than one expressed the wish they'd had the same idea as the waiter boy, if they'd known it was going to get them in with girls like Shen-Shen.

"As if Tiggular would go for the celery stick," one of them laughed. "Her sister maybe, but not _her."_

By the time Teron, Boq's roommate, got to his science class late that afternoon, the rumour (as told to him by his lab partner) was that Elphaba had either bribed or blackmailed the waiter into telling Shen-Shen that she and Fiyero were dating, in the hope of becoming popular.

Teron, who knew Elphaba slightly more than his lab partner by now, didn't believe that at all, but had to admit the idea of Elphaba and Fiyero dating was amusing. As he headed up to his room, he wondered just where it had started.

"What's so funny?" Boq asked him, seeing his roommate chuckling to himself.

Teron wasn't surprised. "You haven't heard the latest gossip? People are saying that Fiyero's dating Elphaba, of all people."

Now, Boq, as everyone knew… because it wasn't very well hidden, had a not-so-small and discreet crush on Galinda. In his eyes, she was perfection. And according to campus reports, also taken. By Fiyero.

"I thought Fiyero was dating Miss Galinda?" Boq asked in surprise.

Teron shrugged. "I thought so too. People are so brainless they'll believe anything, I guess."

Boq was furious on Galinda's behalf. If the rumour was false, he didn't know why anyone would want to hurt Miss Galinda like that to spread a rumour her boyfriend was dating her friend and roommate. If it was true, he was aghast that Elphaba would betray Galinda like that or that Fiyero would be so cruel as to either cheat on his perfect girlfriend or dump her for her best friend.

He was so outraged, he strode from his room and out into the grounds. Boq wanted to hear the rumour for himself from someone to decide how true it was and who he should aim his anger at, when he came face to face with none other than Miss Galinda herself, on her way to the cafeteria for dinner.

"Miss Galinda!" he cried, practically throwing himself between her and the doors so she wouldn't enter and hear the horrendible whispers.

Galinda was alarmed. "What is it? What's wrong?" she demanded.

Boq grimaced and closed his eyes. He couldn't let her hear it from just anyone… news like this had to come from a friend. Well, whatever their relationship was.

"Miss Galinda… I have horrendible news. I'm so sorry that it has to be I that breaks it too you, but you should know before you go inside."

He was so grave that Galinda was genuinely worried something was terribly wrong. "What's wrong?" she asked again.

Boq couldn't look at Galinda as he said it. He didn't want to see the pain and heartache he expected to cross her beautiful face.

"People are saying… that Fiyero is dating Elphaba. I don't know how true it is, and I can't imagine how awful you must feel right now. But know, that if it _is _true… Fiyero doesn't deserve you. And Elphaba isn't a very good friend if she's capable of stealing her roommate's boyfriend. I'm so sorry for any pain this causes you, but I thought you deserved to hear what people are saying from someone who genuinely cares about you, and who would _never _treat you so cruelly or disrespectfully."

Silence met him and he finally dared to look up at Galinda's face, instead of her feet. She looked surprised and Boq wondered if she'd gone into shock as he waited for her to speak. And then suddenly, she laughed.

"Oh, Boq!" she giggled, and the Munchkin's heart soared as it did whenever she said his name correctly.

"You are so sweet! But Fiyero and I aren't dating. We never did," she chuckled.

Boq frowned. "You- what? Never? But, but- your friends said… when Elphaba was on crutches…"

Galinda rolled her eyes. "Oh, _that! _That was just a misunderstanding," she explained. Not technically the truth, but it's how Galinda preferred to remember it.

"The girls were jealous that I was becoming friends with Elphaba… you know what people are like, they thought she was below me and the only reason I must be friends with her was because I was dating Fiyero."

"So… you're _not _dating Fiyero?" Boq asked faintly.

Galinda laughed again, and shook her head. "No! We're just friends. And he _is _dating Elphaba… or, well… they went out last night. I think it won't be long until they're an official couple," she smiled proudly.

"But thank you Boq, for trying to protect me. It's very sweet of you," she said and kissed his cheek lightly before heading into the cafeteria, completely oblivious to Boq's eyes almost bulging out of his head and the vacant look that settled onto his face as she left.

Galinda didn't notice people staring at her in the cafeteria, she was used to it. She crossed over to their usual table where Elphaba, Fiyero and Nessa were already sitting.

"People know about you two," she addressed Elphaba and Fiyero as she sat down.

"That was quick," Fiyero said, but didn't seem surprised. Elphaba however, looked stunned and mystified.

"People know? What is there to know?"

"That you and Fiyero are dating, of course!" Galinda replied.

Elphaba blinked. "We're not."

It was Fiyero's turn to be surprised. "What about last night?"

"That was dinner," Elphaba replied logically. "I admit in hindsight it's probably _a _date, but the term _dating, _suggests more than one."

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying there won't be more?"

Elphaba looked at him. The truth was, she had had fun the night before. The restaurant had been nice, and Fiyero had kept his word and proven he could be the nice, _real _guy she kept getting glimpses of. And he had kissed her again at the end of the night, and it had been perhaps even more enjoyable than the first, probably because Elphaba was both physically and emotional prepared for it.

So, she simply shrugged. "You haven't asked me for another one, have you?"

Fiyero opened his mouth to retort, then realised she was right. Seeing all three girls watching him in amusement (even Nessa), he could only splutter.

"You don't ask a girl out again the _day_ after you go out with her!" he cried. "It's like rule number two! Rule number one," he continued, although none of them had asked. "Is you _never _tell a girl you like her. It just makes you look like an idiot."

Elphaba cocked her head thoughtfully. "You told me you liked me," she pointed out.

"And didn't I look like an idiot?" Fiyero responded.

Elphaba sighed. "I don't remember, I was too busy wondering if _you'd_ been the one run over and had subsequent brain damage."

Fiyero rolled his eyes, now wasn't the time to argue with her over her insecurities.

"My point is, I already broke one rule for you, I'm not going to break a second."

Elphaba crossed her arms over her chest. "So, I'm worth breaking one rule, but not two?"

She was teasing him, but Fiyero was too busy panicking to notice.

"No! I mean, yes… look, rule one is the _big _one, so me breaking that is worth more than if I broke three other smaller rules, okay? But you can't ask a girl out within three days of the previous date until you've been dating for at least a month. It's just a rule. Otherwise you look clingy and needy."

Galinda was enjoying herself immensely. "How many times have you actually been in a relationship?" she asked.

It was a fair question. "Twice," Fiyero admitted.

"And how long did they last?" Nessa inquired.

Fiyero grimaced in thought. "Er…one was… three weeks… I think. And the other was about a month."

"And how long ago was this?"

Fiyero racked his brain desperately. "Um, Kelleigh was the three week one… my family were on vacation at Lake Chorge when I was sixteen and she was there with hers…"

"Oh a holiday romance, how original," Galinda teased. "And the second?"

"It was either Branca or Blanka," Fiyero said thoughtfully and Elphaba snorted.

"You dated her for a month and can't remember her name? She _clearly_ left a lasting impression on you."

Fiyero shushed her, trying to recall. "We met at my eighteenth birthday party…"

Elphaba let out an 'Oh' of understanding that drew all eyes to her.

"What?" Nessa asked.

Elphaba smirked. "Eighteen is the drinking age in the Vinkus. I'm assuming that's when you started the uh, _lifestyle _that you live by. Therefore, most of your relationship with this girl you would have been either drunk or hung over."

"That's about right," Fiyero admitted. "It's kinda hazy."

Galinda was impatient to get back to the topic at hand. "So, you're _really _not going to ask Elphie out for another two days?"

Fiyero grinned at Elphaba. "That depends, Glin. Do you think she'll say yes?"

"_She_ is right here," Elphaba muttered dryly.

So, Fiyero turned to her. "Fine, then. Will you say yes?"

Elphaba smiled. "You won't know until you ask, will you?"

"Oh, for the love of Oz! You two are driving me crazy!" Galinda fumed. "Can you just make plans already, so it can be official that you're dating?"

Elphaba laughed and looked at Fiyero questioningly. She felt slightly shy, which she knew logically was stupid.

And Fiyero answered her unspoken question as only Fiyero could. He leaned over and kissed her. Galinda let out an "Aww," and people at nearby tables let out shocked gasps, but when he pulled away after a moment Elphaba only stared at him.

"You could give me some warning before you do that, you know."

He chuckled. "Me leaning in wasn't enough warning?" he asked and she looked at him in exasperation.

Their attention was diverted by a flurry of movement. Before they could do anything, Galinda was clambering atop of the table.

"Excuse me!" she called out. "Can I have everyone's attention please?"

Obediently, the crowd turned their attention to the popular blonde standing on top of a table in the middle of the cafeteria.

"I'm assuming everyone's heard the rumours that Fiyero and Elphaba are dating-"

Elphaba groaned softly, and buried her face in her arms on the table top in embarrassment.

"Who's Elphaba?" someone asked audibly and Elphaba, her head still buried in her arms, waved a green arm in the air.

A murmur of realisation swept through the room, and Galinda cleared her throat.

"_Anyway," _Galinda continued pointedly. "I just wanted to clear up the apparent misunderstanding that Fiyero and I are not dating. Fiyero and Elphaba _are, _which is absolutely thrillifying news! Thank you very much!"

"People thought you and I were dating?" Fiyero asked Galinda as she delicately climbed off the table and resumed the seat.

"Well, Boq did, so I figured I should clear it up in case there are others who aren't saying anything," Galinda explained.

"Galinda, I am going to _kill _you," Elphaba said simply, finally lifting her head up. "This is none of their business!"

"What happened with Boq?" Fiyero asked, trying to distract Elphaba's fury.

Galinda giggled as she told them how the Munchkin boy had come to defend her honour when he'd heard the rumour and thought Fiyero was still dating Galinda.

"He has it _so _bad for you," Elphaba commented, shaking her head and feeling slightly calmer towards her friend.

"You should ask him out," Fiyero suggested.

Galinda looked horrified. "_Me _ask _him_ out?"

"He's too shy to ever ask you, and he won't notice any hints you drop in conversation," Fiyero pointed out.

"I don't know… he's so _short," _Galinda said.

"And I'm green," Elphaba retorted hotly. "We've talked about this, Glin."

Galinda remembered, and felt slightly ashamed. "You're right, Elphie. Boq _does _seem sweet. Alright, I'll ask him out… _ooh, _and then we can double date!" she squealed excitedly.

Elphaba only groaned again.

**AN. And here we have the beginnings of Gloq! Apart from my NYE one-shot, _Auld Lang Syne, _this is my first time writing Gloq! It's not a _huge _point, Boq and Nessa are pretty much minor roles in this story even more so than my others, but it still works! **


	11. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. The AVPM/AVPS quote from the last chapter was "You never tell a girl you like her. It just makes you look like an idiot." **

**Oh and to Fae-and-night, no the Vinkun wildflowers weren't based on anything. I had to google them when I read your review! **

**Chapter Eleven**

Most parents wouldn't complain or worry when they _didn't _receive warning letters from the school where their son was enrolled. But then, most parents didn't have Fiyero Tiggular as a son.

Initially, when it had been a month since Fiyero had started at Shiz, they had been proud- overjoyed even. But when it came to two months, and it was almost mid-terms and then Fiyero would be home for Lurlinemas, Queen Kasmira and King Ibrahim began to worry.

"You're both being paranoid," Kastle told them bluntly. "You keep saying you want Yero to settle down and make something of himself, but when it looks like he is, you think something's wrong?"

Ibrahim chuckled. "Your brother has many talents, Kastle. I wouldn't put it past him to figure out a way to stop any letters from Shiz finding their way here."

Kastle rolled her eyes. "So, you're saying Fiyero's stopped the warning letters from being sent, and by now is expelled and roaming the streets of Oz?"

"I'll just feel better if I get written confirmation Yero's settling in well," Kasmira fussed worriedly, as though Fiyero were in kindergarten and not his fifth university.

So, Kasmira sat down and wrote a brief, polite letter to Madame Morrible, just casually stating they hadn't heard from Fiyero too often since his arrival at Shiz and she and Ibrahim were… interested to know how he was faring in his classes. She included some light banter at how she could doubted she could trust Fiyero to respond truthfully to such a question if she were to ask him directly, and she and the king would appreciate it, if a few of Fiyero's teachers could discreetly respond and let she and her husband know how Fiyero's studies were progressing.

She finished with a brief plea to keep the letter and the subject matter from Fiyero, as she'd _hate _to embarrass him by letting him and his classmates know his parents were checking up on him.

They sent the letter by express, and then had to endure awaiting a reply. It didn't even take a week before the response was sent and Ibrahim brought it into his wife's private sitting room, where she and Kastle were enjoying some mother-daughter time.

"Read it aloud, Daddy," Kastle implored him and Ibrahim agreed.

There were a few separate letters within the envelope, the first a brief note from Madame Morrible.

"_Dear Majesties,"_ Ibrahim began.

"_Your letter shows how much you value your son's education, and I was pleased to follow through with your request, as well as a general report which I include here._

_Apart from the unfortunate incident involving a fellow student upon his arrival, Fiyero seems to have settled well into Shiz. _

_There were a few minor attendance issues and concerns of late night partying and a large alcohol consumption in the first few weeks, but it is no longer a concern for the staff- aside from an irregular attendance record. Fiyero seems to have made a small group of unique friendships, all of which Your Majesties should approve of. All are from good family backgrounds, are mostly good students and mostly from a good social standing. _

_Per your request, I have asked Fiyero's history teacher, Dr Jaala Dillamond; his Life Sciences teacher, Dr Sigurd Tancred; and his literature teacher, Dr Blodeu Caesarwigg to write a brief summary of Fiyero's work ethic and class behaviour since his enrolment at Shiz, these which I have enclosed._

_If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to write or make an appointment to visit._

_Yours most sincerely, _

_Madame Minali Morrible_

_HeadShizstress, Shiz University."_

Kastle groaned. "Ugh. I _hate_ people who suck up to royalty- especially through print."

Ibrahim chuckled. "Would you like to hear what his teachers have to say?"

"Yes, go on, dear," Kasmira prodded her husband.

Ibrahim turned to the next sheet of paper, and began to read.

"_Dear Mr and Mrs Tiggular,_

_I hope you will forgive me for addressing you so informally, but as I am writing to you as parents and not royalty, it seemed appropriate._

_I understand you are inquiring to know how Fiyero is performing in his studies. Whilst I do feel that Fiyero is not fully applying himself and reaching his full potential, he does seem to have settled into Shiz well. His work ethic and standards have developed in the past few weeks; a change which I daresay is influenced by his relationship with my best student, Miss Elphaba Thropp. _

_There are a few minor issues of a lack of attention, lack of study and as I said before, a lack of application; but on the whole Fiyero is achieving well. I am confident, that especially with Miss Elphaba's tutelage, Fiyero should do reasonably well on his mid-term._

_If you have any questions, please contact me._

_Respectfully,_

_Dr J Dillamond, History Professor."_

Kastle's ears immediately pricked up. "There's a Miss Elphaba? Fiyero's in a relationship? Did I miss something here?"

Ibrahim handed the letter to his wife, looking thoughtful. "Thropp… Thropp… why does that name sound familiar?"

"The other two are just like it," Kasmira said, quickly reading the other letters. "Doing fine, could be better… all mention Miss Elphaba. Kastle, has Fiyero mentioned her to you?"

Kastle shook her head. "No. I can't believe Fiyero actually has a _girlfriend!"_

Then Ibrahim groaned and his wife and daughter turned to him in alarm.

"Ibrahim, what is it?"

"I remember why the name sounds familiar now," Ibrahim replied. "She must be the daughter of the Governor of Munchkinland."

Kastle was the first to make the connection and gasped. "The one Avaric ran over? Fiyero's _dating _her?"

Kasmira was intrigued by the idea that her son might finally be settling down.

"Maybe we should invite her for Lurlinemas?" she suggested.

"That is a good idea," Ibrahim agreed. "Should we write directly to her or to Yero?"

"Write to Yero," Kastle advised. "If you write to her, she may feel pressured to say yes and you don't want to make her uncomfortable, do you?"

So, Kasmira sat down and wrote another letter, this time to Fiyero. She didn't openly come out and admit she and Ibrahim had been asking Fiyero's teachers for information, or their reasons why. She merely wrote they had heard from the school, and were curious about his relationship with a certain Miss Thropp who's name had been mentioned; before extending the invitation for Elphaba to spend Lurlinemas at Kiamo Ko. She made it clear it wasn't an option for Fiyero not to pass the invitation along.

Fiyero assumed Elphaba would be spending the holidays with her own family, but then Nessa changed that.

It was two weeks before winter break, when Nessa met her sister in _The Wilted Rose _almost glowing with excitement. Elphaba was there with Fiyero, in their usual table- one that was usually empty because it was situated in a corner behind a pillar, which was exactly why Elphaba liked it. Although it could be seen from the counter, you usually had less people staring at you when sitting there.

"Fabala! You'll _never _guess what!" Nessa gushed. "I've just received a letter from Father, and he has the most wonderful, thrillifying news!"

"Do tell," Elphaba said, a note of sarcasm in her voice which Nessa ignored.

"He has some business to attend in the Emerald City over Lurlinemas, so he's going to take me with him!"

Elphaba's eyes widened in genuine surprise and awe. It had always been her dream to visit the Emerald City.

"He's… he's taking you. _Only_ you?" she asked, knowing the answer already and her heart sank in disappointment.

Nessa only faltered for a moment. "Yes. He said he assumed you wouldn't be interested and would prefer to remain at school and focus on your studies."

Elphaba forced a smile. "Well, I guess I can't accuse him of not knowing me," she replied.

Nessa grimaced, her sister always did that whenever their father did something like that, just made light of it.

"Elphaba-"

"No, it's a good idea," Elphaba interrupted. "I can use the time to get ready for next semester."

Fiyero was completely bewildered by what he was hearing, and he didn't understand why Governor Thropp would only take Nessa with him to the Emerald City. Surely if only one daughter were to attend, it would be Elphaba, as the eldest, right? Wasn't she going to succeed her father as Governor?

When Nessa had left, Fiyero looked at her in dismay.

"Are you really going to spend Lurlinemas alone at school?" he asked in disbelief.

Elphaba shrugged. "Why not?"

"Because you'd be spending _Lurlinemas _alone at _school," _Fiyero stressed. "Look, Fae, why don't you come home with me for the holidays?"

Elphaba was even more surprised by this than she was by Nessa's announcement.

"You- you want me to meet your parents?" she asked.

Even as little (read: none) experience she had at relationships, she knew meeting the parents was a significant step.

"Well, _they_ want to meet _you_," Fiyero corrected. "Not that I don't want you to meet them," he hastily added. "But my mom wrote me this morning, told me to invite you. I just hadn't gotten around to it yet."

Elphaba was unsure. They hadn't even been dating for a month yet, was it too soon?

"Can I think about it?" she asked and Fiyero nodded.

As much as Elphaba tried to pretend it didn't, her father's actions bothered her. It wasn't anything new or unexpected, but it still hurt. Galinda, of course, noticed that her friend was oddly quiet and brought it up that night as Elphaba was lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling while Galinda fulfilled her nightly routine of brushing her hair with exactly one hundred strokes.

"Elphie, is something wrong? Is it Fiyero?"

Elphaba smiled faintly. "No, Glin. It's not Fiyero. It's nothing."

Galinda didn't believe that for a second. "Yeah, right."

She hopped up from her vanity and sat on the end of Elphaba's bed, reminiscent of the night they had become friends, or at least begun to.

"Elphie, I can tell something's bothering you," she prodded. "Come on… you can tell me. I promise whatever you say won't leave this room," she promised.

"Galinda, it's really nothing to worry about," Elphaba replied but Galinda dug in her heels.

"Elphie! Just tell me already! You're my best friend, you can tell me anything," she wheedled and Elphaba's eyes met hers in surprise.

"I am?"

Galinda was surprised by Elphaba's surprise at what to the blonde, was an obvious statement.

"Of course _you_ are! Aren't I yours?" she pouted, her blue eyes wide.

"You're practically my _only _friend," Elphaba pointed out practically. "But… yeah, I suppose you are," she admitted and Galinda beamed.

"Good! Now, _tell _me what's bothering you! _Please?"_

Elphaba hesitated, then sat up in bed.

"Ok… it's really not a big deal. My father's taking Nessa to the Emerald City for Lurlinemas."

Galinda frowned. "And not you?"

Elphaba shook her head. "No."

"Why not? You _love _the Emerald City! Well, the idea of it," Galinda amended, knowing her friend had never been. "Doesn't your father know that?"

"I'm pretty sure," Elphaba admitted.

"Then why aren't you invited?"

Elphaba took a deep breath. She'd never actually told anyone this before. "My father and I don't have the best relationship," she said carefully.

Galinda frowned again. "In what way?"

"In that he hates me," Elphaba answered matter-of-factly.

Galinda gaped. "What do you mean he _hates _you?"

Elphaba shrugged, it was as straightforward as she had said, in _her_ mind. But to Galinda, it too horrendible to comprehend.

"_Elphaba… _this is… this is big! I mean, I thought the thing about that funny little green bottle you sleep with under your pillow was big, but this…"

Elphaba scoffed, pulling said bottle from under her pillow. "It's not that big, Glin. It was my mother's, that's all."

Galinda knew that by now, and waved her hand dismissively. "Ok, yes, but _this _must be a _huge _secret."

"It's not a secret," Elphaba rolled her eyes.

Galinda couldn't form words. "But… how? Why?"

Elphaba sighed, not sure how to word it.

"Because of what happened when I was born," she began, not having to specify what exactly had happened- it was clearly obvious.

"My mother chewed milk flowers while she was pregnant with Nessa to… to make sure it didn't happen again. But then… Nessa was born too early. That's why she can't walk. And our mother died giving birth to her."

"Oh, Elphie…" Galinda said sympathetically.

Elphaba shrugged, looking at the bottle in her hands. "It's my fault, and everyone knows it. You can't really blame him for hating me… he has a good reason."

"No, he doesn't!" Galinda protested. "Elphie, that wasn't your fault, it was the milk flowers!"

Elphaba's lips tightened and she shook her head. "I've never told anyone before," she admitted.

Galinda moved spots so she could hug her friend. "Well, thank you for telling me. I think you should tell Fiyero too."

Elphaba frowned. "Why? We haven't been dating that long, only a few weeks."

"It's been a month," Galinda retorted. "And he'd want to know, he cares about you."

Elphaba sighed. "His mother invited me to the Vinkus for Lurlinemas. I told Fiyero I'd think about it."

"You should go!" Galinda encouraged. "What are you going to do otherwise, stay at school?"

"Isn't it too soon?" Elphaba asked.

Galinda thought about that for a moment. "I guess it depends on the couple," she admitted. "I don't think Boq and I are there yet."

Elphaba and Fiyero had almost died laughing at Boq's expression when Galinda had asked the Munchkin out. The poor boy looked like he was about to faint, and had finally stuttered out a murmur of agreement.

Elphaba chuckled. "Glin, Boq's only just started forming sentences around you. I definitely wouldn't introduce him to your parents just yet."

Then she sobered. "But I'm not sure if Fiyero and I are there yet, either."

"If his mother invited you, you should probably say yes," Galinda reasoned. "Or they might think you don't want to meet them."

Elphaba considered that, and then nodded. "Ok, I'll go. I'll tell Fiyero tomorrow," she agreed.

"And about your father?" Galinda asked.

"We'll see. Goodnight, Glin."

"Night, Elphie."

Elphaba lay awake for a long time that night. Not just wondering about meeting Fiyero's family, but pondering… was she ready to tell Fiyero her biggest secret?

**AN. I had to work out how to bring up that issue if _DTL_ and _Popular_ never happened. Hopefully it worked!**


	12. Chapter 12

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. And OMO! Thank you so so so much to everyone who voted for me in the Wicked awards! I would have been beyond thrillified with winning ONE! But... wow. Um, if this means nothing to you, check my blog (on my profile).**

**I literally gasped aloud and shook for twenty minutes after reading it!**

**But you all get another chapter to thank everyone who voted for me!**

**Chapter Twelve**

Whether she had subconsciously decided in her sleep that she should confide in Fiyero about her father, or whether Galinda's prodding had merely gotten to her Elphaba would never know; but the next day she pulled Fiyero aside and told him everything- including that she would spend Lurlinemas at Kiamo Ko.

When she'd finished, Fiyero didn't quite know what to say.

"Fae… you _really _believe what happened to Nessa and your mother is your fault?"

Elphaba sighed. "Look, you can stand here all day and argue that it's not; and on a logical level, I _know _that I didn't actually do anything," she admitted. "But it is because I was born that this happened, and I've grown up with it. You're not going to change my mind. But… I thought it was something you should know."

"Galinda's logic?" Fiyero asked knowingly and she smiled faintly.

"Mostly, yes. But she has a point."

"Well, thank you for telling me. It actually explains a lot," he admitted.

"Just don't mention anything to Nessa about it, okay? She and my father are very close."

Fiyero agreed. He was glad, in light of this revelation, that Elphaba would be coming home with him for the holidays.

Galinda, to no one's surprise, absolutely _adored _the holidays. Her parents had a big party every year to celebrate, and being an only child, she was admittedly spoilt when it came to gifts. She couldn't wait to go home and see her beloved "Momsie" and "Popsicle" again, and tell them all about Elphaba, Fiyero, Nessa and of course, Boq.

"But when we come back, I want to hear _everything _about the Vinkus," she told Elphaba the night before they left, as they were both packing.

"Why don't you just ask Fiyero now?" Elphaba asked and Galinda waved her hand dismissively.

"Fiyero _lives _there. He's used to it all. I want to hear about it from someone with new eyes," she explained.

Elphaba rolled her eyes, but promised to do her best.

"How much do your family know about me?" she asked Fiyero as they were on their way the next day.

Fiyero wasn't actually sure as to the answer of that. He wasn't even sure exactly how his parents had found out they were dating.

"Are you worried?" he asked with a grin, trying to deflect from answering.

"No," Elphaba insisted. "But I was just wondering whether you'd mentioned that I'm green. Because from experience, I can tell you that it's awkward otherwise."

"I think they know," he assured her.

Ok, _he'd_ never mentioned it, but he was sure Avaric would have.

"I'm sure my parents will love you," he continued. "And Kastle… well, she's a pain in the ass, but what else do you expect of a big sister? Anton's great, although what he sees in my sister I'll never know. And Noak is the greatest kid in Oz. You'll love him."

Elphaba smiled uneasily, which Fiyero noticed.

"What?"

"I'm not very good with kids," she explained slowly. "The green kind of freaks them out," she admitted.

"And they don't hide it and try to be polite like most adults do."

Fiyero winced. "I promise you, Fae. Everything's going to be fine."

But she had gotten Fiyero worried, and he hoped desperately that _someone _had thought to mention that Elphaba was green. Surely Avaric would have, right? It had certainly been a point of discussion as they waited in the hospital waiting room, and Fiyero knew his father would have wanted to know everything possible about the girl that had been injured by a royal driver. The point she had green skin had not gone unobserved, surely.

As they drove, Fiyero told her what to expect. Lurlinemas wasn't a big thing. His parents would address the people with a Lurlinemas message on the day, but there was no big fancy to-do. His parents would rather encourage their subjects to spend time with their families and friends.

It took them a few hours until they reached the Vinkus and Kiamo Ko came into view. Elphaba was awestruck by the scenery and the beautiful architecture of the castle.

"Wow… do you _all _live here?" she asked Fiyero.

He shook his head. "No. The royal family has a few different places throughout the Vinkus. Kiamo Ko used to be empty, but we had really bad storms a few years ago and our castle was damaged pretty bad. Staying here was supposed to be temporary, but my mom really hates moving. Kastle and Anton live in a manor a few miles west, but they're staying here for Lurlinemas so my parents can see Noak Lurlinemas morning. But they'll probably move into Kiamo Ko or the main castle when Kastle takes the throne."

"What about you?" Elphaba asked.

Fiyero shrugged. "Haven't really thought about it. I might not even stay in the Vinkus."

Fiyero wasn't sure who would meet them when they arrived, but in hindsight it made sense that it was Noak who came hurtling into view as soon as Fiyero led Elphaba inside.

"Uncle Yero!"

Fiyero was ready for the little boy. "Hey!"

Elphaba watched as he grabbed him and launched him into the air for a moment, before placing him on the ground and kneeling down so he was at his level.

"How you doing, kid? You get taller?" he frowned suspiciously and Noak nodded proudly.

"Yep! Dad measured me, and I grew two inches since summer!" he crowed.

Fiyero looked suitably impressed. "Wow. You're going to be taller than your mom soon!"

Noak laughed and then saw Elphaba, standing there awkwardly. Fiyero quickly rose to his feet to make introductions.

"Uh, Noak, this is my... friend Elphaba. Elphaba, this is my nephew Noak."

It was clear to Elphaba from the way the little boy was staring at her that he had no idea to expect that she was green, and she dreaded the reactions of Fiyero's parents and sister and brother-in-law.

But Noak studied her with wide eyes for a second and then asked the inevitable question. "Why are you green?"

Elphaba suppressed a sigh. "I don't know," she admitted patiently.

"That is _so _cool!" he exclaimed, surprising both Elphaba and Fiyero. "Did you pick it?"

Elphaba laughed nervously, taken aback. "No, I didn't pick it. I was just born this way," she explained.

Noak nodded thoughtfully. "That's pretty cool. I would have picked blue if I could. But I like green. I have a green toy rabbit that Uncle Yero got me when I was a baby. Do you want to see him?"

Elphaba hesitated, glancing briefly at Fiyero. "Sure," she answered awkwardly, and Noak grabbed her hand and led her up the stairs.

"I always bring him with me when I visit Gran and Grandpa's. His name's Bael, and he has a top hat and he sleeps with me at night to keep the monsters away…" Noak's voice faded away and Fiyero felt distinctly left out.

"So, that's the girl Avaric ran over?"

Fiyero turned to see Kastle standing in the doorway to the foyer from the parlour. "_That _is my girlfriend, and her name is Elphaba," Fiyero corrected her.

"And she's green," Kastle noted.

Fiyero nodded. "Yep."

Kastle smiled and approached Fiyero to give him a hug. "Welcome home, Yero. And I _can't _believe you have a girlfriend and didn't tell us!"

"It just didn't come up. I can't believe the school is telling you about my love life."

Fiyero found that most disconcerting of all.

Kastle shook her head reassuringly. "They didn't. They just said you were doing well, and Miss Elphaba was a good influence on you. We connected the dots."

"Oh. Well, that's better I suppose. Where are Mom and Dad? And Anton?"

"Dad and Anton are in a meeting with parliament, and Mom was making sure the spare room was ready for Elphaba."

"I should find them… warn them about Elphaba's skin… I thought Avaric would have mentioned it," he explained.

Kastle rolled her eyes. "He was a bit too traumatised about running someone over than to worry about what colour skin she had, Fiyero. But why don't you find Mom and do that, and I'll go introduce myself to Elphaba? I'm sure I should rescue her from Noak, anyway."

Fiyero agreed and the two siblings went their separate ways.

As Kastle had predicted, Elphaba was feeling a little overwhelmed at receiving the undivided attention of a hyper four-year-old mere days before Lurlinemas.

She'd been introduced to Bael, and was now listening patiently as Noak told her all about the monsters that lived under his bed and how Bael protected him.

"I didn't know for _ages_, because Bael is really good at keeping secrets, but then Uncle Yero told me how I didn't have to worry about monsters as long as I had Bael. So then I wasn't scared anymore," he explained.

Elphaba smiled, "You're lucky to have Bael. It was always my job to keep the monsters away from my sister."

Noak's eyes were wide. "Did it work?"

Elphaba nodded, there had been many nights in their childhood she had slept with Nessa to keep her nightmares away.

"Yep."

Noak considered this revelation thoughtfully. "Maybe monsters don't like green," he suggested and Elphaba chuckled in agreement.

"Maybe."

"Because Bael's green and _you're _green, and-"

"I think she gets it, sweetpea."

Both Noak and Elphaba looked up to see Kastle entering the room, smiling.

"Momma! Uncle Yero and Elphaba are here!"

"So I heard. You ran off pretty quickly, Uncle Yero was looking forward to hearing all about what you've been up to. He hasn't seen you in a while."

Noak looked guilt-stricken. "Oops."

He slid off his bed from where he had been sitting next to Elphaba. "I'll go talk to him. You can talk to Elphaba, Momma. Bye, Elphaba!"

He ran out of the room, and Elphaba stood up awkwardly, left alone with Fiyero's sister.

"Hi, Elphaba. I'm Kastle, Fiyero's sister. It's nice to meet you," Kastle said, holding out a hand to shake Elphaba's.

"It's nice to meet you too. I've heard so much about you from Fiyero," Elphaba replied.

"I wish I could say the same," Kastle laughed. "But hopefully we'll fix that while you're here. I'm so glad you decided to come. And I see you already have a fan in my son."

Elphaba blushed slightly. "He's a sweet kid."

"He is. And he worships Fiyero, Oz help us all," she rolled her eyes and Elphaba laughed.

"Come on, I'll show you to your room," Kastle offered.

Elphaba followed her out of the room and down the hall into the room she would be staying for the next two weeks. It was a lovely, simple room and her suitcase was already there waiting for her, Elphaba guessed it had been brought up whilst she had been talking to Noak.

"So, bathroom, closet with plenty of hangers if you need to hang anything up. There's fresh towels and everything. There's also extra blankets in the top of the closet if you get cold. And if you need anything, the maids will get it for you. Just let me or Fiyero know."

"Thank you," Elphaba said gratefully.

They heard voices out in the hall and left to find Fiyero there talking with a woman who could only be Fiyero's mother.

"Fae!"

Fiyero saw her and hastily beckoned her forward. "Uh, Mom, this is Elphaba. Elphaba, this is my mom."

"Hello," Elphaba greeted her.

The Queen smiled pleasantly. "Welcome, Elphaba. I hope your knee has fully recovered?"

For a second, Elphaba was startled. She'd forgotten that Fiyero's family knew how they'd met.

"Oh, yes, it's fine now," she said, bending her leg slightly and straightening it again to demonstrate.

"Wonderful."

She didn't meet the King, Ibrahim and Kastle's husband Anton, until dinner that night, but both men were very polite to her and made her feel welcome. Over dinner, Ibrahim asked her about her studies and her family, and Noak interjected with a different seemingly random question any time he could.

Elphaba's favourite was when Fiyero had just asked her to pass the salt, calling her "Fae" affectionately as he usually did.

"Uncle Yero, why do you call her 'Fae'?" Noak asked.

"It's a nickname," Fiyero explained. "Just a shorter way of saying 'Elphaba', like when you call me 'Yero' instead of 'Fiyero'. Does that make sense?"

Noak frowned in confusion. "But 'Fae' doesn't make any sense. Her name's _Elphaba."_

Elphaba laughed. "You are a smart kid," she told him. "I've been telling him that for months, and he still doesn't get it."

Noak beamed at her.

Over the next few days, Fiyero showed Elphaba around the Vinkus. She tried to remember as much detail as possible about everything to tell Galinda went they got back to Shiz, but it seemed like there was too much and she couldn't take everything in.

Lurlinemas was a very quiet day. Noak woke everyone up at four am, and insisted they come downstairs to open presents immediately. Kastle and Anton managed to distract him until six, when finally he succeeded.

Fiyero, much to Kastle's dismay, had fulfilled his nephew's request for a puppy, which Noak was thrilled with. He gave Elphaba a book, unsure what else to give a girl you'd only been dating for a month. But she was pleased with it, and he liked the watch she had given him.

It was two days after Lurlinemas, when Noak clambered onto the sofa beside Fiyero, with a solemn look on his small face. Elphaba was in the library discussing books with his father; Kastle and Kasmira were off doing something, and Anton and Fiyero were just hanging out.

"Uncle Yero, we need to talk," Noak said to Fiyero seriously. "Man to man."

Fiyero raised an eyebrow and exchanged a puzzled look with Anton.

"Ok, buddy. What's up?" he asked, faintly alarmed.

"Can you break up with Elphaba?" Noak asked and Fiyero's confusion increased.

"What? Why? I thought you liked Elphaba."

"I do, that's why you need to break up with her. I've decided I want to marry her."

Fiyero wasn't sure what to say to that. "Uh, aren't you four?"

"I mean when I grow up," Noak assured him. "Unless _you _want to marry Elphaba?"

Anton, who had been hiding a grin, couldn't resist chiming in here. "Yes, Fiyero. Do _you_ want to marry Elphaba?"

Fiyero glared at his brother-in-law, before answering Noak. "Noak… I like Elphaba a _lot, _but I'm not really in a rush to marry anyone," he explained.

Noak looked hopeful. "Are you going to break up with her?"

"I'm not planning on it at the moment," Fiyero replied trying to let the little boy down easy.

Noak's face fell. "Oh. Ok."

Anton found it hilarious of course, and wasted no time in telling Kastle, who of course told Elphaba.

Elphaba was so mortified she didn't know what to think, but she made a point of talking to Noak.

"If Fiyero and I ever break up, you'll be the first one I come to," she promised the little boy. "Once you grow up, that is."

Noak considered that. "OK," he agreed cheerfully. "Can I write to you when you leave?"

"If it's okay with your mom," Elphaba agreed.

Kastle had no problem with that, she liked Elphaba a lot, and thought she was a perfect foil for her little brother.

Elphaba had thought that would be the most awkward moment of the trip, but the worst was when she and Fiyero had gone for a walk around the grounds and run into Avaric. She had been amused at first, when the two childhood friends did their ridiculous secret greeting, and then Fiyero had introduced them.

Avaric's face went pale and then red, and then he about fell over himself apologising profusely for the incident that had happened in October when he had dropped Fiyero off at Shiz. He was stammering worse than Boq did in front of Galinda when they'd first met, and Elphaba had to repeat a thousand times that she accepted his apology and there had been no lasting harm.

"You're welcome any time," Kasmira told Elphaba warmly when she and Fiyero were leaving to return to Shiz.

"Thank you for inviting me," Elphaba replied graciously.

"It was our pleasure, and so wonderful to finally meet you, Elphaba," Ibrahim smiled as he kissed her hand.

Kastle hugged her and told her she was expecting letters too, not just Noak and Anton teased her, bidding her goodbye as his future daughter-in-law, to which Elphaba blushed and laughed.

"Or maybe sister-in-law," Anton muttered to Fiyero, who scowled.

"Shut up. See you later."

When they were finally on their way, Fiyero turned to Elphaba. "So, what did you think?"

Elphaba looked at her hands, before meeting his gaze. "I think you're very lucky to have such a close family," she said softly. "And thank you for sharing that with me."

Fiyero smiled and shrugged. "You're welcome."

And they settled down for the long journey back to Shiz.

**AN. The thing with Noak was a surprise to me. Didn't see that coming until I wrote it! **


	13. Chapter 13

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**Chapter Thirteen**

February brought Galinda's twenty- third birthday, and the blonde was busy planning a formal party at the OzDust to celebrate.

And part of the planning process, was to drag Elphaba shopping one Saturday a week before the party, who in turn, dragged Fiyero.

"Why am I here, again?" Fiyero asked her.

"To keep me from killing either Galinda or myself," Elphaba replied. "I've been shopping with her before. Trust me on this."

Fiyero thought she was exaggerating, but two hours and twelve dress stores later, he was proved wrong.

"Galinda, how long does it take to pick a dress?" he asked, as Galinda studied her reflection critically in a mirror.

"I don't expect you to understand, Fiyero. You're a _man," _she replied dismissively.

Elphaba spoke up wearily from where she was sitting next to Fiyero, her head resting on his shoulder.

"I'm not a man, and I don't understand it either."

"Well, I _hope _you're not a man, because as your boyfriend _that _would be awkward," Fiyero joked.

"My eyes may be closed, but rest assured, I am glaring furiously at you," Elphaba retorted.

Fiyero chuckled. "Ok, Fae."

Galinda put her hands on her hips. "Elphie, you could take part you know. Shopping's a lot more fun when you actually _look _and try things on."

Elphaba flushed uncomfortably. "Galinda, I can't afford any of these," she answered quietly.

Galinda wasn't perturbed. "You don't have to buy anything. Just try it on- ooh, Boq's here!"

Elphaba and Fiyero turned and sure enough, Galinda's boyfriend was entering the shop.

"Hi. I was walking past and saw you guys in here," he explained, kissing Galinda hello. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to find the perfect dress for my party," Galinda explained.

Boq's mouth twitched in amusement. "And Fiyero's looking for a dress too?"

Fiyero made a face at the Munchkin. "Shut up, _Bick_. What are _you _doing?"

"Just looking around," Boq said casually. Actually, he was trying to find the perfect gift for Galinda's birthday. "Do you want to come?" he offered to Fiyero, who immediately jumped to his feet.

"_Yes!"_

"Can I come too?" Elphaba asked hopefully.

Galinda pouted. "But Elphie! We need to find dresses!"

Elphaba sighed. "Glin, I told you, I can't-"

Fiyero cut her off. "Tell you what," he offered. "You find a dress you like and Galinda, just tell them to send the bill to me okay?"

Galinda squealed excitedly, but Elphaba frowned. "Yero, you don't need to buy me a dress. I don't really need one"

Fiyero knew she was uncomfortable about accepting things from him, even though they'd been dating for almost three months, and looked at her innocently.

"You don't have a choice, it's a gift," he informed her. "Today is our eighty-six day anniversary, and I'm prepared to overlook the fact that you forgot and didn't get me anything; because _that's_ the kind of guy I am."

Elphaba smiled faintly, and she rolled her eyes, which Fiyero and Galinda took as her reluctant agreement.

Galinda was beside herself with excitement. "Oh, this is going to be so much fun! Here, I'll find you something," she promised and vanished through the store.

"No!" Elphaba called after her, but it was too late. "Oh, _no_, it's going to be _pink!" _she moaned tiredly and Fiyero laughed.

"Fine. Abandon me and leave me alone with Galinda and all your money," she said dramatically and Fiyero kissed her and left.

"Make sure Fae likes it before you buy anything, Galinda! And don't let her look at price tags!" he called out to the blonde and then he was gone.

"Idiot," Elphaba muttered fondly after him.

Eventually, Galinda returned with a heap of fabric in her arms, which she handed to Elphaba.

"Here, try this on!"

Elphaba took it half-heartedly and went into the dressing room at directed to put it on. She wasn't entirely sure what to expect. Yes, Galinda's clothes were always fashionable and made to fit her perfectly, but they were also often pink and usually flouncy with ruffles or lace or such things Elphaba knew immediately wouldn't suit _her_.

But she had to give credit where credit was due, once she'd put the dress on and looked at her reflection. Galinda knew her well.

The dress had a layer that was only a shade green paler than Elphaba's own skin and fell to mid-thigh. The black lace sheer overlay covered that and fell to the floor, and up to her neck, leaving her shoulders bare. There was also a panel either side in the same shade green as the under-layer which ran down the length of the dress. It showed off her tiny waist and long legs, and Elphaba was surprised by how much she liked it.

Galinda knocked on the door. "Elphie? What do you think? Let me see!"

Elphaba obediently stepped out of the change rooms for Galinda's inspection and the blonde looked delighted.

"Oh, it's perfect! As soon as I saw it I thought of you! Do _you_ like it?" she asked anxiously, mindful of Fiyero's parting words.

"I do," Elphaba admitted.

Galinda nodded. "Ok, we'll remember this one-"

Elphaba interrupted, knowing what she was about to say. "Galinda, I don't want to look at any others, I'm not you, okay? This one is really nice, so I'll get this one, okay?"

"Ok," Galinda agreed.

It still took another half an hour before Galinda dragged Elphaba back to the first store they'd been to and bought the dress she'd tried on there, much to Elphaba's dismay. Then there were shoes and accessories, so it was late afternoon when they returned to school.

"Galinda, don't take this personally, but I am never going shopping with you ever again," Elphaba said wearily, collapsing on her bed.

Galinda merely laughed, not being tired at all. "You have to admit, Elphie, your dress is beautiful."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "I did admit it, didn't I?"

"Fiyero will love it," Galinda continued. "I hope Boq likes mine," she added worriedly.

Elphaba rolled her eyes again. "Galinda, you could wear a sack and Boq would still think you're perfect. Besides, did you buy the dress for him or for you?"

"Well, _me. _But I want him to think I'm pretty."

"Glin, he's always thought you were pretty no matter what you were wearing, even before you were dating."

Galinda considered this and nodded happily, accepting that as truth.

Over the next week, they were all roped in at various stages to help Galinda with party preparations. As her birthday grew closer, she grew more and more excited, reminding Elphaba of when Nessa was a child.

Pretty much everyone on campus was invited, and the hype was huge. Everyone knew that between Galinda and Fiyero, the party would be the highlight of the year. For almost the first time, Elphaba had people talking to her. Everyone knew she was Galinda's best friend and they wanted gift suggestions.

It was surprisingly easy, Elphaba found a simple reply of "anything pink" usually helped. Elphaba and Nessa had gotten her a joint gift, a beautiful engraved rosewood hand mirror and a few storage items, such as a shoe organiser for the closet. That had been Elphaba's idea, in a feeble effort to try and control the contents of Galinda's closet, vanity and dresser which was constantly threatening to take over the room.

Fiyero had gotten her a hideoteous hat as a bit of a joke, by now knowing the truth about Galinda's real reason for visiting Elphaba in hospital and the story behind the hat. He'd also gotten her a diary (pink, of course) and a matching pen.

And Boq had spent days searching for the "perfect" gift and had finally gone and bought Galinda jewellery.

The only downside (in Galinda's opinion) was that as hostess, she couldn't fulfil her usual tradition of being fashionably late and making an entrance. The party started at seven, so Boq arrived promptly at quarter to, which allowed enough time for him to gawp at the vision that was his way-out-his-league-girlfriend and escort her to the OzDust Ballroom for when the doors opened and the first guests arrived.

Fiyero had told Elphaba to expect him at seven, which she knew by now meant roughly ten past. Galinda had also moaned the loss of the opportunity to see Fiyero's expression when he saw Elphaba's dress for the first time, but Elphaba was glad. She felt awkward enough being dressed up and knowing everyone was going to make a big deal out of it.

But she had let her roommate "Galindafy" her, as Fiyero termed it. It was subtle, a touch of makeup and she had curled Elphaba's long black hair and left it loose. More worrying to Elphaba was the three-inch heels she was wearing, they were a narrower heel than any of her shoes and she was worried she'd break them.

When Fiyero knocked on the door, Elphaba grabbed her bag and wrap and took a deep breath before opening the door. Fiyero looked up to greet her, but then his eyes widened in appreciation as he took her in.

"Money well spent?" she asked him teasingly and he shook his head slightly in awe.

"You look amazing."

Elphaba blushed and looked down, but Fiyero tilted her head up and kissed her. "I mean it. I love your hair out."

Elphaba rolled her eyes, with a smile. "I know you do. You always love my hair. Why, I'm not sure and I'm too afraid to ask," she teased and Fiyero grinned.

Elphaba stepped into the hall and shut the door behind her, careful not to catch her dress as she did so.

"Ok, let's go. How long do you think we have to stay?" she asked as they headed out.

"At least until cake and presents," Fiyero replied.

Elphaba looked at him knowingly. "Because it's polite, or because you want cake?"

"Don't be like that, Fae!" Fiyero protested, and then he grinned. "I also want to see Galinda's face when she opens the hat."

Elphaba laughed.

The ballroom, as expected when it was a party thrown by Galinda Upland, was mostly decorated in various shades of pink. Most students invited had accepted and were there, although some had stuck to the 'formal' specification more so than others.

And Galinda was the belle of the ball, and completely in her element. She mingled expertly, Boq at her side the whole time- especially when she was talking to good-looking men. Nessa was just thrilled to be there, it was her first party.

It was Elphaba's first party too, but she didn't lament it as Nessarose did. And she drew many looks herself from fellow guests, which Fiyero was quite proud of.

At some stage through the night, Fiyero found himself at the bar, getting drinks for him, Elphaba and Nessa and talking to Boq.

"Hey, Fiyero? Can I ask you something?"

Fiyero paused. "Sure," he agreed.

Boq paused, glanced over his shoulder and then leaned in slightly. "How did you know you were in love with Elphaba?"

Fiyero was completely unprepared and startled by the question. "What? Boq… I'm not," he replied and Boq looked surprised and confused.

"You're not? But… you've been together for three months. Don't you love her?"

Fiyero didn't know what to say, he'd never thought about it. He and Elphaba were just dating, the length of time wasn't a factor.

But when he said that to Boq, the Munchkin looked doubtful.

"But in the store last week, you told Elphaba you'd been together for eighty-six days."

"That was very fast math, I'm not counting the days," Fiyero replied as though it were obvious.

"You're not?" Boq asked in surprise.

"You _are?" _Fiyero returned.

"It's been a hundred and sixty-eight days since I first saw Galinda," Boq replied immediately and unashamedly. "I know we've only been dating for about eighty of those, but I know I'm in love with her. I just wanted your opinion on if it was too soon to tell her."

Fiyero wasn't about to admit to the Munchkin that he had never said "I love you" to any girl that he wasn't related to, and in an entirely different context.

"If you think the moment's right, tell her," he replied and Boq smiled.

"Great. Thanks, Fiyero."

After Fiyero delivered the drinks to Elphaba and Nessa, he excused himself and wandered outside for some fresh air. Boq's question and his surprise at Fiyero's response had thrown him.

It was far too early to talk about being in love, wasn't it? And he and Elphaba were nowhere near that moment yet. They were still learning new things about one another, and just enjoying spending time together. It's not as if they were planning a future together or anything. It had only been three months!

Fiyero had practically watched his sister and Anton fall in love, he had been thirteen when they'd met, and spying on his sister and her boyfriend had been the height of entertainment for him and his friends- and he'd gotten some excellent blackmail material if he should ever need it.

He'd seen how Kastle had walked around daydreaming constantly, had giggled at everything, and had almost cricked her neck from turning so fast every time one of the servants came in to announce a visitor. Neither he or Elphaba were doing any of that.

He liked her, a _lot, _and he enjoyed spending time with her, and well… he was quite happy to kiss her at every given opportunity, but he wasn't in _love _with her. Was he?

"Hey, Tiggular!"

Fiyero turned to see Finor and a few of his friends approaching.

"Hey guys. What's up?"

Before Shiz, these would have been the boys that Fiyero would party with and would more than likely be involved in whatever event or incident ultimately led to his expulsion. Fiyero was always willing to be friendly and chat with, but they weren't friends.

Finor nodded towards the party. "Your green girl scrubs up all right."

Fiyero's eyes narrowed. "Her name is _Elphaba."_

"Whatever," one of Finor's friends said dismissively. "She still looks hot."

Another boy, who had clearly had too much to drink already, sniggered. "Yeah, she's _steaming_. Get it? Like when you cook vegetables?"

Finor saw the furious glance on Fiyero's face and hastily backed off.

"Sorry, man," he apologised. "He doesn't mean any offence, he's just wasted. We just wanted to compliment you on your girl. See ya."

As they hurriedly moved off, Elphaba came out and saw Fiyero glaring at them.

"Yero? Are you okay?" she asked, coming closer.

He looked at her and forced a smile. "Yeah. The guys were just being idiots. What are you doing out here?"

"Looking for you. Glin's about to open her gifts, and then we'll do cake."

Fiyero's smile was more genuine this time. "Excellent."

She laughed quietly and made to head back inside, but Fiyero stopped her, grabbing her hand.

"Fae?"

She turned, looking at their joined hands and both remembering the first time he'd done that, trying to apologise, when she'd finally agreed to go to dinner with him.

Fiyero pulled her closer to him and kissed her deeply.

"What was that for?" she asked, slightly breathless when he pulled away.

Fiyero smiled softly and shrugged. "No reason. I l-"

The words came without even thinking of it, and Fiyero hastily stopped himself, and cleared his throat as Elphaba looked confused.

"I like your dress," he blurted out, correcting himself.

Elphaba stared. "Yes, you've said that," she said and Fiyero grinned weakly.

"I did? Wasn't sure. Come on, I want to see Galinda's face when she sees the hat."

Elphaba accepted that and rolled her eyes as they headed inside. Fiyero meanwhile, was in a panic.

He had almost told Elphaba he loved her. Which wasn't true, was it? He hadn't intended to say it, he hadn't even considered it, but the words had appeared on his tongue without him even noticing.

As he watched Elphaba watch Galinda open her gifts, commenting on each one, teasing her friend lightly; Fiyero realised that he was in trouble. Big trouble. He was in love with Elphaba, and nowhere near ready for that.

And in an instant, Fiyero realised just how deeply he'd fallen for Elphaba. He could see his whole future with her, from now until he was old and grey- every moment he pictured, Elphaba was there, front and centre. And it seemed right. And completely and utterly terrifying.

So, now what did he do? He didn't want to break up with her, but he didn't want to tell her either. The idea of settling down, at only twenty-four was terrifying. Marriage, a family, that type of long-term commitment… he wasn't ready for that yet.

So he had a dilemma. If he did love Elphaba, but wasn't ready to move forward… where did that leave them?

**AN. Elphaba's dress in this chapter is based (well, supposed to be based- we all know describing clothes isn't my strong point) off a dress that Delta Goodrem (Australian singer, dating Nick Jonas, etc., etc.) wore to the ARIA's (Australian version of the Grammy's pretty much) last November. **

**There is a picture of it on my blog (link to which is on my profile) if anyone wants to see it. **

**And just a reminder, you don't have to have an account to be able to comment on my blog posts, I enabled anonymous comments. Just please sign them with your pen name so I know who's reading them please! **


	14. Chapter 14

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. I'm sorry. This is one of the chapters where I'm pretty sure you guys will hate me. But this chapter and what comes next is actually the main point of the story.**

**And guys, _all _that sexual tension I've been told about, is there for a reason! Although it won't play out the way you think!**

**Chapter Fourteen**

Elphaba knew something was bugging Fiyero, but she didn't know what. Since Galinda's birthday, he'd been oddly quiet. Often they'd be having a conversation, but Fiyero would only be half listening. He was trying hard, too hard, to be himself. He wasn't even acting like he had been when he first arrived at Shiz.

He just seemed… like he was conflicted or waging a debate with himself. At first, Elphaba tried to ignore it. If Fiyero was trying to make a decision and he didn't want to tell her, it was none of her business. They may be dating, but they were still entitled to their privacy.

But the longer it went on, the harder it became to ignore. Finally, six days after Galinda's party, Elphaba decided she had to say something.

She was actually beginning to worry something was really wrong, perhaps back home in the Vinkus, or maybe he wasn't doing so well in a class and for once was thinking about his education and his future.

So, when they were leaving literature, Elphaba caught Fiyero's attention motioned for him to stay behind. She knew the classroom was empty now, and it would give them a chance to talk.

"What's up?" he asked her.

"You tell me. Fiyero, what's going on? You've been moodified for days now," she frowned.

Fiyero sighed. He'd been arguing with himself for days now, trying to convince himself that he wasn't in love with Elphaba after all; he'd merely been caught up in the moment. But the more he tried, the more he was sure and the more it scared him. He wasn't sure how long he'd been in love with her. When he'd decided to ask her out, had he loved her then? When he first saw her in the hospital, with her beautiful midnight hair flowing over the pillows?

He didn't know, and that terrified him.

And it had taken three days before he'd come to the conclusion about what to do with his revelation. There was just too much pressure now, much more than he could take. He wished now desperately that he'd taken Elphaba up on her initial offer of just friendship. It was much simpler, much easier. So, he'd decided to go back to that level.

He could cope with that, he decided. He'd still get to see Elphaba and be around her, because the idea of her not talking to him again, hurt a lot. But the pressure would be off. He wouldn't have to think about their future, and '_where was their relationship going?'_

The last two days he'd been putting it off, because a little voice in his head (the same one that insisted he just tell Elphaba how he felt and move past it), kept pointing out that he had spent a month trying to get her to talk to him and almost a week trying to convince her to date him, and if he suddenly turned around and broke it off after three months… it would hurt her. Badly. And Fiyero didn't want that.

But now she was here, standing before him and demanding an answer. And Fiyero knew he couldn't put it off anymore. She wouldn't let him.

Fiyero put his bag down and sat on one of the tables, Elphaba watching him all the time.

"Fae, we need to talk," he began.

Elphaba may not have had a lot (or any) of previous relationship experience, but even she knew they weren't words one wanted to hear come from the mouth of their significant other, and that they rarely led to good news.

And even if she hadn't known that, Fiyero's low tone said it all and apprehensive face said it all.

"Oh," she said.

Then she slowly sat down and met Fiyero's gaze steadily, her face blank. "So, talk."

Fiyero cleared his throat. "Ok, look… Elphaba, I like you a lot, I really do. I'm kind of glad Avaric ran you over, so at least I could meet you. But… I think we should just be friends."

It was an old speech, said many a time, to many a girl. Of course, the line about Avaric was a specific modification for Elphaba, but he'd never meant it as much as he did now. Usually, he was just saying to placate a rejected girl, to stop her from… you know, stalking him (Sheona) or trying to stab him with a pencil (Amata)… okay, it was only a pencil but it was _sharp _and it hurt!

He wasn't sure how Elphaba would react, there were usually varying responses to the end of this speech.

Elphaba just sat there very quietly for a long moment. The only indication she gave that she'd heard what Fiyero had said was that her gaze dropped from his and moved to stare at a spot behind him.

"Ok," she said quietly and slowly.

Fiyero was surprised. That was it? Just "Ok"? This could end up being the simplest break up he'd ever had.

"Ok. So… Friends?" he offered.

Elphaba said nothing, so Fiyero was about to get up and leave, when she spoke.

"Why?"

Fiyero jumped slightly and saw she was meeting his gaze once more.

"Why?" he repeated.

"Why now?" she asked him. "You like me… but you don't want to date me. But it took you three months to decide that. So, why now?"

Fiyero hadn't prepared an answer for that, very few asked that question. And what could he say, the truth?

"_I'm actually in love with you, but that idea scares the crap out of me, so I'd rather be friends"? _

Yeah, he could see that going down well.

"It's nothing you did," he hastened to explain. "It's just… it's me."

Elphaba raised an eyebrow. "Really? 'It's not you, it's me?' _That's _original. Even I know cliché break up lines, Fiyero. And I can see through all your crap, remember? Don't I deserve to know why? Is- is there someone else?"

Fiyero was genuinely horrified by that idea. "No!" he exclaimed hastily. "No, there's no one else. It's just…"

He tried to decide what to say, that was close enough to the truth that she wouldn't spot it as a lie. Because she was right- she could see through his crap and always could. It was why they'd gotten off to such a bad start… besides the whole 'running her over' thing.

Unable to think of anything, he sighed. "Fae, it's nothing you did, okay? Can we please just leave it at that?"

"No. I'd really like to know," Elphaba replied stiffly.

"Elphaba-"

"Because the only thing I can think of, is that if it's not someone else, then you got sick of everyone on campus wondering why you're dating 'the Artichoke.' And don't pretend you don't know they do, because they hardly trouble to keep their voices down."

"Look, I just can't do it anymore, okay?" Fiyero blurted out, much louder than he'd intended.

Elphaba looked stunned, and Fiyero almost cringed away from the hurt expression in her eyes.

"I can't… I'm sorry. This isn't working," he moaned quietly, referring to his inability to find a way to explain this to her.

But Elphaba took the words differently. To her it made sense. He was after all, a scandalacious prince, and he'd made no secret that he'd never had a relationship that had lasted more than a month. Three months was almost an eternity for him. And now he wanted out.

"I- I have to go," she said abruptly, standing up.

Fiyero was worried about her, Elphaba was never one to give her emotions away if she didn't want to, and right now, he couldn't tell what she was feeling.

"Fae?"

"What?" she asked calmly.

Fiyero hesitated. "We'll still be friends, right?"

Elphaba looked at him for a long moment. "Sure," she agreed and then left the classroom.

She headed back to her dorm room, where Galinda was lying on her bed, reading a letter from her parents that had come in the mail that day.

"Hey, Elphie," she greeted her casually, then did a double take when she saw the odd expression on her friend's face.

"Elphie? Are you okay? What happened?"

Elphaba shrugged as she crossed over to her desk and began unpacking her book bag to do some work.

"Fiyero and I broke up."

Galinda dropped the letter immediately, and scrambled up into a sitting position, her expression one of complete shock.

"_What? _Elphie… are you serious? I mean, it's probably not as bad as you think it is. You'll make up, you both just need some time to cool off."

"We didn't have a fight, Galinda," Elphaba interrupted. "We just broke up."

She looked over at her roommate and was surprised to see tears welling up in her blue eyes.

"Galinda, are you _crying?"_

"This wasn't supposed to happen," Galinda explained in a slightly choked up voice. "You two were supposed to live happily ever after! You were supposed to get married after graduation, and have beautiful children and name me godmother, and become Queen of the Vinkus!"

Elphaba didn't know what to say to her best friend planning out her relationship future for her. She felt a sting of pain at the image Galinda painted and turned away.

"Who broke up with who?" Galinda demanded.

Elphaba sighed and sat down on her desk chair, facing her roommate. "He broke up with me," she answered.

"Oh, Elphie… I'm so sorry! Did he say why?"

"Just that he couldn't do it anymore, and it wasn't working."

"He couldn't do _what _anymore?" Galinda asked, mystified.

"Probably ignore the fact that I'm green," Elphaba retorted bluntly. "He's not the first. My father's hated me since birth and Nessa's been ashamed to acknowledge she's my sister since she realised being green wasn't normal. I'm surprised he lasted the three months he did, actually."

"Elphaba, you don't really believe he broke up with you because he's ashamed of you, do you?" Galinda gaped.

"Well, he said there was no one else, so what other possible reason is there?" Elphaba replied practically. "Either that, or I'm just not good enough for him."

Galinda wasn't buying Elphaba's cool and collected attitude for a moment, but knew she couldn't push her friend to confess how she was really feeling.

It was moments she was feeling most vulnerable that Elphaba pulled the walls around her in tighter.

"I'm really sorry, Elphaba," Galinda said softly.

Elphaba didn't want her apologies. "It's not a big deal. It's not like we were serious or anything," she shrugged it off. "And he still wants to be friends, so…"

Galinda nodded slowly. "Do you want anything? Ice-cream, comfort food?" she suggested.

"I just want to finish my History essay for Dr Dillamond," Elphaba replied, turning around to work.

"Ok. I'll leave you alone to work then," Galinda replied.

Galinda slipped on her shoes, grabbed her purse and left the room. And really, Fiyero should have not been surprised when he answered a knock on his door and found himself face to face with an angry Galinda Upland.

"What's up, Glin?" he asked and she narrowed her eyes.

"Don't '_what's up, Glin' _me," she snapped. "You dumped Elphaba? How could you _do _that?"

Fiyero winced at her shrill tone, and gestured for her to enter his room, trying to avoid anyone hearing. She did so, fuming, and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Look Galinda, no offence, but this is really none of your business," Fiyero told her firmly.

"It is when you hurt my best friend," Galinda retorted. "Why would you do this? You spent _ages _convincing her to go out with you in the first place, and then you just dump her?"

"I didn't realise I'd locked into a contract when I asked her out," Fiyero replied sarcastically and Galinda glared at him.

"Galinda, I explained my reasons to Elphaba. If she chooses not to share them with you, I can't help you."

"Your reasons are _crap!" _she almost shrieked. "_I can't do this anymore'? _Do _what _anymore? What kind of reason is that? She thinks you're ashamed to go out with her because of her skin, or that she's not good enough for you."

Fiyero's mouth tightened, that was the last thing he wanted Elphaba to think. If anything, he wasn't good enough for her, but he wasn't going to say that to Galinda.

"I just don't want to be in a relationship," he said finally. "But I told her I still want to be friends."

Galinda stared at him in disbelief and then shook her head. "I _can't _believe I ever encouraged Elphie to go out with you. You spent a month trying to get her talk to you, and like, a _week _nagging her to go out with you! If I'd known you were going to turn around and decide that you can't be bothered to be in a relationship in a few months, I ever would have told her to give you a chance."

"There's no guarantee a relationship will last, Galinda," Fiyero reminded her. "People break up. It happens."

"Yeah, because you ended it. You may want to be friends with Elphie, Fiyero but if you care about her at _all, _even just as a friend, you'll give her some space the next few days. Whether she shows it or not, she's hurting."

Fiyero said nothing as Galinda let herself out of his room. He felt awful, because he knew Galinda's words were true. And he didn't want to hurt Elphaba, because of course he cared about her, he was in love with her! But there was no way to break up without someone getting hurt.

Sighing, he decided to go and check the mail, see if any had come for him from home. As he trudged down the stairs, he passed Teron, who was clutching his own mail in his hand.

"Hey, Fiyero- I heard you and Elphaba broke up."

Fiyero was startled. The news had spread _that _fast?

"How'd you know?" he asked.

Teron winced. "Er, Boq and I were in our room when Galinda turned up to talk to you. She's quite loud."

Fiyero sighed. "Yes. She is."

Teron smiled faintly. "Well, some of us are going to the OzDust tonight. Do you want to come? Have a few drinks, get your mind off things?"

Fiyero's first instinct was to refuse, he didn't feel like going out. But then he considered it. He was single now, and he could really use a drink or two to stop him from seeing Elphaba's hurt face every time he closed his eyes.

Besides, he was _Fiyero Tiggular. _He wasn't meant for relationships, and he definitely wasn't meant to spend a Friday night alone in his room like a loser.

"Sure," he agreed. "Around eight?"

Teron nodded and Fiyero waved as he continued on his way.

Tonight would be fun, he thought. He'd go out, have some fun. Maybe it was time to go back and dust of his 'Dancing Through Life' philosophy. Things had been so much easier when he'd lived by that, and stopped thinking so much and stopped feeling.

Fiyero purposely didn't let himself think about the reason he'd stopped following that philosophy.

That was a mistake. From now on, the old Fiyero was back. No thinking, no worrying. Just fun.


	15. Chapter 15

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. In most of my stories so far, it's usually been Elphaba who kind of panics over the falling in love realisation (think _Far longer than Forever)_. I thought it was only fair Fiyero got a turn. And he deals with it a lot differently than Elphaba. **

**And sorry to everyone! I did post this earlier, but for whatever reason it didn't work! And then my hard copy of this chapter was at home, and I was at school. Awkward.**

**But I hate that it happened today of all today's because today (Feb 16th) is a special day! One year ago today, I received this review from a certain Julia-Caesar to chapter 5 of _Far longer than forever:_**

"**Hahaha Oh my gosh, every time I read "Vinkun Wildflower," I nearly peed myself!... TMI... But I absolutely adorify this story and I'd love it if you updated again soon!"**

**And it went from there. One year on, and she's one of my absolute best friends and I my life is so much better for it, even when she's telling the world that I'm pregnant… or threatening me with armies of squirrels… or not talking to me because I don't fully support Juliyero :P**

**I love you Jules! Happy friendship anniversary! This chapter's for you!**

**Chapter Fifteen**

By the time Fiyero entered the OzDust Ballroom that night, _everyone _knew that he and Elphaba had broken up and that Fiyero Tiggular was single again.

Girls eyed him off (some more subtly than others) from all over the room. But Fiyero took his time. He headed first for the bar and had a drink, chatting with Teron as he surveyed the room to see who was there.

Fiyero never approached a girl he wasn't sure was the prettiest girl in the room, he had his image to think about, naturally. Finally, he saw a girl sitting at the end of the bar. She had curly red hair and was wearing a low cut forest-green dress. He was pretty sure he'd seen her around campus… she was a sophomore, he thought. Fiyero knocked back the rest of his drink in a single gulp, and headed over to her.

"I'm betting that you cannot wait until tomorrow," he greeted her.

She turned and frowned inquisitively. "Why's that?"

"Because I bet that you get more and more beautiful every day."

She blushed and Fiyero grinned. Oh yeah, he was back.

"I'm Fiyero," he introduced himself.

"Julija," she replied.

He gestured towards the dance floor. "Do you want to dance?"

"Sure," she agreed.

Fiyero took her hand and led her onto the dance floor, expertly twirling her and pulling her close. The music was great, as it usually was and Fiyero loved that they didn't have to talk, because that was the last thing he wanted to do right now.

And Julija seemed nice enough. She was certainly pretty and a good dancer. The dress she was wearing suited her figure perfectly, and the forest-green was darker than Elphaba's skin-

_No, _he cut his thoughts off firmly. _Don't think about Elphaba. It's over with her. _

After two songs, Julija suggested they get a drink. Fiyero agreed, and they returned to the bar.

"What are you majoring in?" she asked him.

"Politics," Fiyero answered. "You?"

"Logic and Philosophy," she replied.

Fiyero nodded, feigning interest. "That sounds great."

She shrugged. "I like Philosophy. I'm really only doing Logic because my Aunt Fay offered-"

Fiyero startled. "Who?"

She frowned slightly. "My Aunt Fay."

He swallowed hard, his thoughts immediately jumping to Elphaba and how he was the only one she allowed to call her 'Fae' because "it's better than Elphie."

He cut Julija off mid-sentence, not even hearing what she was saying. "I've got to go. Nice meeting you."

She said something he didn't hear as he walked away. He was going to the bathroom, when a voice called out to him.

"Hey look, it's Fiyero! _Fi-ye-rooo!"_

Fiyero turned and saw Galinda's former friend Milla waving at him and giggling. She was tipsy, but not drunk.

"Hi, Fiyero!" she gushed. "Do you want to dance?"

Fiyero didn't think about it much. He needed a distraction and Milla was certainly the prettiest out of her, Pfannee and Shen-Shen.

"Sure, let's dance," he agreed.

When the third song ended, the next one that began to play was a slow song, meant for the couples in the room and the lights dimmed. Fiyero pulled Milla closer, and she lay her head on his shoulder, humming along to the melody playing.

She began planting kisses on his shoulder and neck, and he let her. When she moved her lips to his mouth, he kissed her back, eager for the distraction he still wasn't sure he'd found. The kiss became more heated, but Fiyero wasn't feeling it.

_The lips are wrong,_ he thought, _they aren't Elphaba's_, and he felt oddly guilty for kissing another girl.

Eventually, he disengaged himself from Milla. "I need a drink," he said to her and she nodded eagerly.

"Good idea."

When Fiyero stumbled back up to his room that night… or technically early Saturday morning, he'd lost track of the number of drinks he'd had. It had been the same pattern all night.

He'd be with a girl, trying to enjoy himself, flirting and dancing… occasionally kissing. But no matter what he did, his thoughts kept coming back to Elphaba. The girl would say something, or one of her mannerisms or _something _about her would remind him of Elphaba.

And when he was kissing them, he kept seeing Elphaba's face when he closed his eyes. His response to that was to drink. Heavily.

And now here he was, drunkenly stumbling up to his room alone. He took four tries to get his key into the lock, and then when he finally managed to get inside, he dropped his key… somewhere, and fell fully clothed into bed and fell asleep.

When he woke up, hours later, sun was pouring through the window onto his face, which did not help the throbbing pain in his head.

"Holy Mother of Shiz!" he swore to himself, jerking his head away from the blinding light.

He didn't even remember the last time he'd been this hung over… _probably the day you met Elphaba, _his inner voice sang and Fiyero scowled.

Fiyero tried to sit up, but the room swam and he decided that would be a bad idea. Instead, he buried his head under his pillow, basking in the relative darkness of it.

He tried to think back to the night before, to determine whether he'd actually done anything worth regretting. His last clear memory of the night was making out with a girl… he remembered she had dark hair and that was about it. No chance at all of a name coming to him.

And after that, it was mostly dark. He had visions of green… and for some reason the melody to one of the songs from the popular Ozian musical _Wizomania _was dancing around in his head, but he wasn't sure why.

Then Fiyero had an alarming thought- he had come home alone, hadn't he? He was pretty sure he had, but he'd been proven wrong in the past.

He whipped his pillow off his head and looked around the room carefully. The bed was empty (besides him, of course), he was fully dressed- he even had his shoes still on, and there were no stray clothes or unusual disorder in the room. Letting out a sigh of relief, Fiyero closed his eyes.

It wasn't just about the fact sleeping with someone and having no memory of it was always an awkward event; but he felt guilty for even kissing another girl, let alone the idea of sleeping with one. He'd never slept with Elphaba in the time they'd dated, she'd made it clear to him from the beginning that they weren't going to rush things.

In hindsight, she was probably congratulating herself, he reflected.

When the room stopped spinning, Fiyero got up, showered and changed. Then he went down to the _Wilted Rose _and asked for a glass of orange juice, an egg and ketchup, his own personal hangover cure.

He sat instinctively at the table he and Elphaba had always sat when they'd come here alone, nursing his drink and hoping he hadn't done anything too terrible the night before.

"Hey, Fiyero."

Fiyero looked up to see Teron there, looking annoyingly chipper.

"Hey. Listen, did I do anything last night?" he asked apprehensively.

Teron laughed. "Depends on what you define as 'anything'. You made out with a couple of girls… drank half the bar, I'm sure… oh, and you and Finor put on a wonderful display of a song from _Wizomania."_

That one made sense to Fiyero, although he wasn't sure why he'd felt the urge to get up and sing a musical song.

"That explains why it's been in my head all day," he muttered, then sighed. "Thanks, Teron."

Teron grinned. "No worries."

The door to the café opened, and Fiyero happened to glance up. He froze in his seat as he saw Elphaba enter, pushing Nessa's chair before her. Galinda followed, and the three girls conferenced for a moment before Elphaba went up to the counter, Fiyero guessed to order for the three of them.

He studied Elphaba carefully. She was dressed the same as usual, in a plain, dark dress. Her hair was out, which she hardly ever wore and just hung straight down her back. He remembered seeing it loose for the first time in the hospital, spread over the pillow as she slept. She had looked so beautiful and peaceful, Fiyero had been surprised. And her hair was so soft, it was almost like silk, which no one would have ever guessed.

Fiyero tore his gaze away from his _ex_-girlfriend, he had to remind himself and stared at the table. Teron saw what he had seen and grimaced.

"Seeing an ex is always awkward," he assured him. "It gets easier."

"Yeah," Fiyero nodded in agreement.

It was stupid and childish, he knew, but he felt slightly stung that Elphaba didn't look too upset. She didn't look as though she'd been crying, or hadn't slept well last night; and she was laughing and smiling with Nessa and Galinda as they got their coffees to go and left.

Wasn't she upset over their breakup? _Galinda_ certainly had been, for reasons even now Fiyero didn't understand; but Elphaba was giving no sign at all that she even cared that Fiyero had broken up with her.

_She obviously wasn't in love with you then, _his inner voice said. _So you did the right thing by not telling her._

Fiyero agreed with that. If he had gone and confessed his feelings to Elphaba, when she obviously didn't feel the same way… would she have laughed at him? Or would it have been an incredibly awkward moment of silence and then they would have broken up anyway, only far more painfully than it had actually been?

If she could carry on as though nothing had happened, she obviously didn't care that much about him. He recalled what Galinda had said when she had confronted him in his room- how she had convinced Elphaba to give him a chance and go out with him.

Had _that _been the only reason she'd said yes?

Fiyero had been struggling on how to deal with the break up and the fact he was in love with Elphaba and breaking up with her didn't change that. But the idea that she hadn't cared about him at all, and wasn't upset by their break up… it changed that.

To hell with that, he thought furiously. To hell with feeling guilty about moving on with his life and about seeing other girls because of her. To hell with seeing her face every time he closed his eyes still. Elphaba wouldn't care, because she'd never cared about him in the first place.

From the moment they'd met she'd made that perfectly clear. And Fiyero was finally listening.


	16. Chapter 16

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. Another chapter where I know your reactions and reviews will be interesting, to say the least.**

**And apologies again for chapter 15! I have no idea what happened with the site. I understand you can read, but not review? I don't know. Hopefully it's fixed now!**

**This update is partly because everyone was so upset after chapter 15 (not that this will help but...) and partly because today me and my friend Kelly booked our tickets for three shows to Wicked in Singapore in April! Hooray! This will be my 5th, 6th and 7th trip to Oz :D **

**Chapter Sixteen**

Monday was hell for Elphaba.

She had spent most of the weekend hiding away either in her room or the library. Galinda and Nessa had dragged her out for coffee on Saturday morning, but Elphaba had preferred to be in her own company.

Monday was the first time she had to go to class, and have everyone staring and whispering about her; for one not about her skin, but knowing that Fiyero Tiggular had dumped the Artichoke. There were also whispers about Fiyero with other girls at the OzDust, but Elphaba dismissed those.

Mostly because she knew the girls that were doing the whispering, and that they liked nothing more than trying to make Elphaba uncomfortable.

But unfortunately, Fiyero was also in most of her classes. Only law and sorcery she had without him. Worst was literature, when Elphaba had entered and taken a seat in the front row. When Galinda and Fiyero had started hanging around her (for different reasons), and insisted on sitting with her in class, Elphaba had moved to a few rows back from the front, because Galinda and Fiyero both refused to sit in the front row as she always had before.

But Elphaba had been sitting in the front all day, and Galinda had sat with her uncomplaining. But when Elphaba had sat down in literature, she realised that she was only a few seats away from the seat she had been sitting in on Friday, when Fiyero had ended things.

By then, she couldn't change seats, because Fiyero was already in the room about halfway back. So she'd had to sit there for an hour, and been unable to concentrate on anything else, replaying Fiyero's words to her over and over in her mind.

They hadn't actually spoken since, which Elphaba was grateful for. She had no clue what she would say to him if he did.

Nessa had heard the news from someone, and had come to see Elphaba on Saturday morning. Considering her initial disapproval of the idea, she had been genuinely sympathetic to her older sister, which Elphaba had appreciated.

But she was desperately sick of people staring at her and whispering about her. It wasn't anything she wasn't used to, of course; but she was still tired of it.

Galinda tried to reassure her. "It's just _new," _she explained. "Just like when you and Fiyero first started dating. They just want to know what happened. In a day or two, something else will happen and they'll talk about that instead."

Elphaba sighed. "I guess," she agreed. "But please don't stand on a table in the cafeteria and announce this," she asked and Galinda giggled and agreed.

By Tuesday however, the breakup of the Prince and the Artichoke (as someone had inventively coined) was still a popular topic of discussion. Galinda liked Tuesdays, because they had two classes in the morning, and the whole afternoon off. Elphaba was spending her time reading, when she became aware of a strange sound coming from the bathroom.

"Galinda, what are you doing?" she called warily.

"Nothing," Galinda called back airily through the open doorway.

Suspiciously, Elphaba put the book down and went to investigate. Galinda was in there with a skirt, a needle and thread, scissors and a ruler.

"Glin, what are you _doing_?" Elphaba repeated mystified.

Galinda knew nothing about sewing, and was apparently allergic to needles or anything domestic.

"Remember on Saturday, when I ripped my skirt?" Galinda asked.

Elphaba nodded. It had gotten caught on an old nail sticking out of the brick wall when they had been walking back to their room after having coffee with Nessa and Galinda had wanted to avoid their Life Sciences teacher who had been walking across the courtyard (she hadn't exactly handed in a homework assignment yet and when Dr Tancred had wanted to give her detention, Galinda had sworn that she was spending all weekend cooped up in her room doing it). The resulting tear had led to a wave of hysteria from the blonde, apparently it was her fifth favourite skirt.

"Well," Galinda continued to explain. "I was devastrated, as you know…"

"Yes, and I thank you for putting your grief aside to help me through my own drama," Elphaba replied dryly.

Galinda had made a statement saying just that when they had gotten back to the room and she had seen the full extent of the damage.

"Anyway, I was looking at it today, because I've been dreading throwing it out… because, I mean, it's my _fifth _favourite skirt. And I remembered I've _always _thought this skirt would look so _swankified _with a split up the side, and the tear is in the right spot, so… I can save it! The skirt is safe, Elphie!"

"Thank Oz for that," Elphaba said sarcastically. Then she smirked at her friend. "And do you have any idea what you're doing?"

"No," Galinda admitted slowly. "But I figure how hard can it be, right? Except… I can't thread the needle, and I've pricked myself _twice."_

Elphaba sighed. "Would you like me to help?" she offered and Galinda's eyes lit up.

"Oh, Elphie! Would you?"

It didn't take Elphaba more than ten minutes to change the tear into a split; and Galinda was delighted.

"Oh, Elphie, it's perfect! How can I ever express my gratitution?"

"By putting all this away," Elphaba suggested, nodding to the scissors and such lying on the bathroom counter.

"I will!" Galinda nodded. "Right after I put this on and go show the girls. Because I know they sometimes aren't very nice, Elphie; but they _care_ about clothes."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "I'm going to go to _the Wilted Rose _and get some coffee. Do you want some?"

"Sure," the blonde agreed and Elphaba left, leaving her to get changed and show off her "renovated" skirt, as she called it.

Elphaba had no doubt Pfannee, Shen-Shen and Milla would be doing the same thing to their clothes within days. Even befriending the Artichoke and dating a mere Munchkin had not dimmed Galinda's social light.

_The Wilted Rose _was crowded when Elphaba entered, but the line wasn't too long- just slow. She'd been there for a few minutes, waiting patiently, when the line crept forward. Elphaba sighed heavily. If it wasn't for the fact they had the only decent coffee around campus, she wouldn't come here anymore. It was too hard to think about all the times she'd spent here with Fiyero, at their table.

Almost instinctively, her eyes drifted in that direction. But what she saw made her stomach turn and her chest seize. Fiyero was sitting there, but he wasn't alone. He had a brunette leaning so far across the table she was practically climbing on it, and they were engaged in what could only be described as a fierce make out session.

Elphaba knew who it was, even without being able to see her face. It was a senior girl named Alannis, who had long brown curls that reached literally to her butt. Galinda had told Elphaba she grew it that way purposely, so boys attention would be drawn to that particular asset. And here she was, kissing Fiyero Tiggular passionately, as he ran his fingers through her hair from the root to the tips, and groping said asset as he did so.

Elphaba was so stunned she couldn't breathe. The coffees forgotten, Elphaba hurried out in case Fiyero and Alannis should come up for air and see her. In a daze she headed back to her room, which was empty. At a complete loss what to do but wanting to do _something _in case she should break down, Elphaba stormed into the bathroom and began to clean up the mess Galinda had left behind.

As she hastily put the needle and thread away, and put the ruler back in Galinda's drawer, (it was the same one the blonde used to measure her hair), a jar of moisturiser fell to the ground and smashed.

A sob breaking in her throat, Elphaba stopped and buried her face in her hands.

So the rumours about Fiyero and other girls were true, then. She hadn't believed them, but here they were, _four _days after their breakup, and Fiyero already had his tongue down another girl's throat.

Which meant the same night of their breakup, as Elphaba had lain awake trying to get to sleep, Fiyero was out at the OzDust doing who-know-what with who-knows-who.

Elphaba was hurting, of course she was. Even if she didn't think their relationship had been that serious, she and Fiyero had dated for three months. And she wasn't going to fall apart over a mere boy and spend days crying in bed, but it hurt. It hurt that he had ended it so quickly and for very vague reasons.

And it hurt seeing him there will another girl, so soon afterwards. She kept remembering him, running his fingers through Alannis' hair, it made her cringe. Fiyero had _always _loved her hair… how long it was, and how soft it was. He'd told her about two months into their relationship, about how he had seen her in the hospital the night of her accident and how it had taken his breath away.

Elphaba had blushed, but she'd loved that he'd said it. When you had green skin and most people wanted nothing to do with you, you rarely felt good about yourself. But remembering Fiyero's words about her hair had always made her feel good. But apparently it wasn't just her hair, it was _any _long hair.

Now, the words just made Elphaba sick. She felt physically ill, and completely numb. She felt as though she could have cried, she was so hurt to think about it all, but her body wouldn't let her. Her hands were trembling, but she didn't notice.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Elphaba closed her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair pushing it back, and then opened her eyes. By chance, she saw the scissors still lying on the counter.

Without thinking about it for more than a second, Elphaba picked them up, grabbed a handful of her hair and cut it, about five inches below her shoulders. The cut hair fell to the ground silently at Elphaba's feet, but she didn't take a moment to mourn them before grabbing another handful of long, black hair. She wasn't worried about cutting it evenly, or properly, she just wanted it gone.

She wanted the pain to stop, and the image of Fiyero and Alannis out of her head.

When Galinda returned to the room, humming happily and loving her new skirt, she went straight to the bathroom to fulfil her promise of cleaning up. The last thing she expected to find was Elphaba standing there cutting her own hair.

"Elphie!" she shrieked in horror. "What in Oz's name are you doing?"

Elphaba's hand trembled, and Galinda came forward and gently eased the scissors out of her hand.

"Elphie, what happened?" she demanded.

"I saw Fiyero," Elphaba whispered. "With that girl… Alannis."

Galinda knew in an instant what her friend must have seen, and what had led her to cutting her own hair.

"Oh, Elphie," she whispered. "Your _hair," _she moaned softly.

For Galinda, who had established the _perfect _length for her hair, what Elphaba had done was almost sacrilege.

It wasn't even at all, and one side was still untouched. But what Galinda mourned most was that she had cut it at all. Elphaba had such beautiful hair, and Galinda cursed Fiyero mentally.

Elphaba looked into the mirror and swallowed hard. She hadn't really been conscious of what she was doing, she'd mostly been acting on adrenaline and the emotion. But the horrified look on Galinda's face said it all.

"Can I fix it?" she asked Elphaba tentatively, and Elphaba nodded numbly.

Galinda sat her down and got to work, almost hating herself for what she was doing… almost_, _the _real_ crime would be leaving it the way Elphaba had done it.

"Ok, tell me what you think," she said gently, some twenty minutes later and gently turned Elphaba around to look at her reflection.

Elphaba gaped at her reflection in shock. Galinda had cut her hair… what was left of it and layered it. The lowest layer sat just on Elphaba's shoulders and the subsequent layers framed her face. She also now had a side fringe, and it made her look completely different. Older.

The longer she looked at it, the more it sunk in that her long hair was now lying on the ground at her feet, and the magnitude and shock of what she had done and why she had done it sank in.

To Galinda's shock, Elphaba's eyes welled up with tears.

"Oh, Elphie, I'm sorry! I just thought-"

"No, no, it looks good," Elphaba hastened to assure her. "It's just… different. A big shock… I've never cut my hair," she admitted.

Galinda hugged her tightly. "Well, you look beautiful, I promise. And it'll grow."

Elphaba nodded, and forced a smile. "Right."

"And I'm sorry about Fiyero," Galinda added softly.

Elphaba looked down at her hands. "It's just… he said he liked me. I thought he meant it. But it's only been a few days…"

Galinda knew Elphaba was about to cry, and whilst she thought it would do her good, and it was what every girl needed to do after a break up; she knew that Elphaba refused to let herself break down over a boy.

"Do you want me to go get some dinner, and we can eat in here tonight?" she offered. "That way you're swankified new haircut will be a big reveal to everyone in class tomorrow. Ooh, and I can show you how to fix your hair!"

Elphaba smiled. It didn't sound like much fun to her, but she knew what Galinda was doing and appreciated her efforts.

"Sure," she agreed.

While Galinda was gone, Elphaba cleaned up all her hair in the bathroom and tried to get used to her new haircut. It felt so light, and so strange.

She could just manage a tiny ponytail, which she was pleased about, because having her face in her hair constantly drove her mad- no matter the length. She supposed it was just a matter of getting used to it.

"Look who's joining us for dinner!" Galinda sang, opening the door as she returned, and revealed Nessa wheeling in behind her.

Nessa saw her sister and gaped, her eyes wide. "Fabala! What did you do to your hair?"

And Galinda and Nessa both grimaced as Elphaba burst into tears.

**AN. I don't even know where this idea came from, but I saw it so clearly from the moment I began planning this story. This and chapter 18.**

**And I can relate to Elphaba a little. I got my hair cut in November and they cut it heaps shorter than I wanted or had ever gone before. I literally cried for an hour.**

**If anyone wants to see the kind of haircut I was thinking of, again, I refer you to my blog! **


	17. Chapter 17

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. So far, the Fiyeraba split has been… kinda peaceful. Mostly because Elphaba's kind of in shock about it all. And also trying to bottle everything up and not let Fiyero know how hurt she is. Well, that's pretty much over now.**

**And wow... I knew people would react strongly to the last chapter, and yes I said in the beginning that you would all hate me... but I didn't think that would be literally!**

**But can I just remind people that my stories ALWAYS have a happy ending? **

**Chapter Seventeen**

Galinda had been right in saying that there would be something new for people to talk about after Elphaba and Fiyero's breakup- Elphaba's new haircut.

When she and Galinda had entered their first class the next day, everyone had done a double take. Fiyero, personally, almost fell out of his chair in shock, and couldn't stop gaping at her.

He was totally horrified that she had cut her hair, and had actually gone to talk to her after class… although what he was going to say he didn't know because "why did you cut your hair?" sounded weird; but she had vanished so quickly that he hadn't had a chance.

By the time a week had gone by, Elphaba was used to her new look and even had to admit she liked it. She was still definitely planning to grow it out again, but she didn't _hate_ it. She just hated how it had happened.

She and Fiyero hadn't spoken much since he'd broken up with her. If needed, she'd speak civilly to him; and if he could he'd try and make conversation and she'd answer in short sentences and leave as soon as possible, rather reminiscent of when he'd spent so long trying to get her to him when he'd first arrived at Shiz.

For Elphaba's part, it was just too hard. Every time she saw him, she couldn't help but wonder which girl's throat he'd stuck his tongue down since Alannis? For the first few days after he'd broken up with her, she'd been numb and trying not to show that she cared or that she was hurt by Fiyero's words and actions. But since cutting her hair, she was getting mad.

Mad that he hadn't given her a real reason; mad that he'd gotten to her enough to make her chop all her hair off; mad that she'd let him get close to her, told him her biggest secret in the world, and he'd dumped her.

Galinda had confessed to Elphaba that she'd confronted Fiyero and what he'd said. Elphaba didn't mind, she knew that Galinda was just looking out for her. And Fiyero had told the blonde he was just tired of being in a relationship (which was more of a reason than he'd admitted to Elphaba). Well, Elphaba was tired too. She was tired of missing him. And she did, more than she wanted to admit or had admitted to Galinda.

They were in Life Sciences, when Dr Tancred said he had an announcement to make.

"You're next assignment requires you to work in pairs," he informed them. "Now, last year's class did this so disastrously that I have decided _this _year, I will assign the pairs alphabetically."

Elphaba stiffened in her seat. They had done this once before, in History. She knew, therefore, that she would be assigned to work with Fiyero.

Before anyone could do anything else, Elphaba raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Elphaba?" Dr Tancred asked.

"Are we able to work on our own or is having a partner mandatory?" she asked politely.

Dr Tancred looked a little surprised, but answered. "I made it so because there's quite a heavy workload, but if you feel you can cope, of course you can work individually. Of course, that means we'll have an odd person out… unless anyone else would like to work on their own?"

Fiyero felt stung. He too, had figured out he and Elphaba would be paired together, but Fiyero had thought it would be a good chance for them to spend some time together and rebuild their friendship. And here she was, pointedly asking to work alone.

A boy in the back raised his hand in answer to the teacher's question, and Dr Tancred confirmed that he and Elphaba were able to work individually.

When he dismissed them, Fiyero grabbed his things and hurried out of the room after Elphaba.

"Elphaba!"

She and Galinda turned at the same time.

"Yes?" Elphaba asked coolly.

Fiyero was annoyed and let it show on his face and his tone. "So, what? You're just going to ignore me now and not even talk to me? I thought we were friends!"

Elphaba straightened her shoulders. "Well, you thought wrong," she replied and turned away from him.

Fiyero swiftly moved to stand in front of her, effectively blocking her way.

"We agreed to be friends again," he reminded her.

"_Again?"_ Elphaba repeated, raising an eyebrow. "We were never friends in the first place. Unless you count the week where you repeatedly asked me out a thousand times a day. You just annoyed me less and then I agreed to go out with you and we started dating. We skipped the entire friends stage, Fiyero."

"So, you can't even work on an assignment with me?" he demanded.

"I'm not going to carry you through college," she snapped back and Fiyero narrowed his eyes.

"_Carry_ me? You don't think I'm capable of passing on my own? You… you think I'm really stupid, don't you?"

"No, not _really_ stupid," she replied bitingly without thinking and then sighed, closing her eyes. "Look, maybe one day, we can be friends. But not now."

With that, she side-stepped Fiyero and walked off, Galinda following.

"I shouldn't have said I thought he was stupid," Elphaba sighed to Galinda. "My temper got the better of me."

"So, you don't think he's stupid?" Galinda asked.

Elphaba shook her head. "No. I think he's lazy, unmotivated and undisciplined, but he's not stupid."

Galinda was silent for a moment. "Pfannee's saying-"

"I know, I saw the graffiti on the bathroom wall," Elphaba interrupted her.

Pfannee had been telling everyone that she and Fiyero had hooked up last weekend at the OzDust, where rumour had it, Fiyero was spending pretty much all of his nights. Elphaba was trying very hard not to hear them.

Luckily for her (which may be the first time she'd ever said that), being born green had given her a lifetime of pretending not to hear or care about remarks being made about her.

Before, Elphaba would have made a comment about Fiyero being perfectly able to date, hook up, or whatever with whoever he liked. They weren't together anymore. But since seeing him with Alannis, Elphaba couldn't say anything that implied she didn't care. Because she and Galinda both knew she did.

"We should go shopping this afternoon," Galinda suggested. "You don't have Sorcery, do you?"

Elphaba shook her head. "No. Morrible has some conference in the Emerald City to go to, so she cancelled our session. And why do we need to go shopping?"

"Why not?" Galinda laughed. "Come on, Elphie! We'll leave right after literature, look around for a bit, have dinner in town and them come home. What do you say?"

Elphaba considered that.

"OK, but _only_ ifyou let me look at the bookstore."

Galinda beamed and linked her arm through Elphaba's. "I'll even leave you there while I go look at dresses," she promised and Elphaba laughed in agreement.

So, they did. Elphaba spent two glorious hours in a book shop, whilst Galinda looked at clothes, and they met up at _Serenity's. _

"Would that be weird? Should we go somewhere else?" Galinda had asked Elphaba anxiously when they made the arrangements, knowing it was where Fiyero had taken her for their first date.

Elphaba laughed. "Galinda, if I avoided everywhere I'd been with Fiyero, I'd never go anywhere," she pointed out. "Besides, it's reasonably priced and the food is good. It's fine."

Elphaba arrived there first and amused herself by looking again at the book she'd bought in the book store. She was not surprised when Galinda turned up five minutes later, with an armful of bags.

"Really, Glin? More clothes? Where are you going to put them all?" she asked faintly exasperated as Galinda sat down.

"They're not all for me," Galinda assured her.

Off Elphaba's frown, she held out a smallish blue bag. "This one's for you."

Elphaba made to protest, as Galinda had expected and she held up a hand. "Trust me, Elphie. You'll like it. And I got it on sale, so it didn't even cost that much."

Reluctantly, Elphaba took the bag and pulled out what was inside. It was just a simple black fitted dress, with thin straps on the shoulders.

"Thank you, Galinda. But where am I ever going to wear this?"

Galinda shrugged vaguely. "Well, that's _kind of _why I bought it. I had a thought, and wanted to talk to you about it, and to avoid arguments about how you have nothing suitable to wear, I bought this!"

Elphaba raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what thought is this?"

"Let's order first," Galinda suggested.

So they did, and Elphaba let Galinda distract her with small talk until the food arrived and they started eating.

"Ok, Glin. So, what's with the dress?" she prodded.

Galinda swallowed her bite of food and looked at Elphaba. "I was just thinking… wondering, if you'd given any thought to… to the idea of moving on. Dating again, I mean?"

Elphaba was surprised by the question. "Yes, because I was fighting men off with a stick before Fiyero," she said sarcastically.

Galinda rolled her eyes. "Elphie! You don't realise what you and Fiyero dating did for you, do you?"

"Gave people something else to talk about besides my skin or my 'freaky weird magic powers'?" Elphaba suggested blankly.

"Well yes," Galinda admitted. "But while people were always calling you 'the green girl' and whatever, they didn't actually realise that you _are _a girl. When you started dating Fiyero, they realised that you are a girl and how beautiful you are."

Elphaba blushed slightly. "That doesn't necessarily mean that guys will want to date me," she pointed out.

"I think you'd be surprised if you put yourself out there," Galinda suggested. "Look, I'm just saying… Fiyero's moved on."

"And I should too?" Elphaba finished for her.

Then she sighed, twirling her pasta around her fork. "Glin, I don't know. I'm obviously not a very good girlfriend."

"Don't say that just because Fiyero broke up with you," Galinda scolded. "You don't know that! And I can help!"

Elphaba flashed back to before her first date with Fiyero, with the make over and the hair tossing lessons Galinda had given her.

"I don't know," she said again.

"Will you just think about it?" Galinda asked and Elphaba agreed.

She didn't think Galinda was right, but maybe the idea was worth thinking about it. But there was one flaw in Galinda's plan (besides that Elphaba still didn't believe any guy would actually be interested in her, no matter what her brief relationship with Fiyero had apparently done for her image). Elphaba wasn't sure she wanted to go to the OzDust and see Fiyero making his move on every girl that so much as blinked at him.

She wasn't sure how much she could take.


	18. Chapter 18

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. I _think _this will be the last chapter where I have to brace myself for your reactions in case you… you know, send armies of flying squirrels to attack me (I'm looking at you, Julia-Caesar).**

**Not to give anything away, but it MIGHT slowly, sort of begin to get a bit better from now on. **

**This update is at the request of Kelly!**

**Chapter Eighteen**

By the time that weekend came around, Galinda was dying to go out and blow off some steam. They had begun their Life Sciences assignment and Galinda and her partner, a girl named Saija, were already drowning in the amount of work they had to do. Galinda had no idea how Elphaba was coping working on her own.

So, Galinda had thought the perfect way to end a horrendible week, was to spend her Saturday night at the OzDust. The only thing was, she was determined not to go without Elphaba.

"Elphie, what are you doing tonight?" she asked her roommate, sitting on her bed and watching Elphaba, who had her face buried in some enormous volume as she took notes for her assignment.

It took Elphaba a second to register Galinda had spoken to her, finish writing the sentence she was scribbling and look up.

"Sorry, Glin?"

"What are you doing tonight?" Galinda repeated.

Elphaba gestured to the book she was reading and the three similarly giant books piled on her desk.

"This probably. Same as I've been doing all day, and same as I'll do tomorrow. Why? What are _you _doing tonight?"

Galinda curled a lock of her hair around her finger. "_Well…. _I was _thinking _of going to the OzDust. Do you want to come?"

Elphaba shook her head. "No thanks. But have fun."

"_Come on, _Elphie!" Galinda begged. "You should come! It's not healthy to be studying _all _day. You need some human interaction, some fresh air… a change of scenery!"

"I'm talking to you, that's human interaction," Elphaba pointed out. "If it makes you feel better, I'll open the window for some fresh air and I _had_ a change of scenery when I went to the bathroom."

Galinda pouted. "That doesn't count. Elphaba, you need to get out of this room. Just come! Please come? I don't want to go without my best friend! Everyone's going tonight, even _Nessa's _going, I spoke to her earlier."

"Glin, I'm making really good progress here-"

"Which means you deserve some time off and you can spend all day tomorrow chained to your desk and I won't complain. Please?"

Elphaba looked at her friend's pouting lips and pleading eyes and gave in. "Ok, ok. For _two _hours only," she warned and Galinda frowned.

"Four."

"Three," Elphaba returned.

"Done!" Galinda beamed. "This is going to be so much fun! Ok, now go shower! And I'll do your hair, and _oh! _You can wear your new dress!"

Elphaba reluctantly laid down her pen, stretched her neck and stood up. "Ow," she murmured, as she stretched all the kinks out of her back, arms and neck.

"Told you," Galinda said smugly, and Elphaba made a face at her as she headed for the bathroom.

Fiyero was also going to the OzDust that night, it was supposed to be a great night. As he headed over, just before eight, he promised himself he wasn't going to drink much tonight.

But then again, he'd been promising himself that every time he went to the OzDust for the last two weeks. It was the same thing every time. He'd go, find the best looking girls, dance a little, flirt a little, maybe a little more.

But every girl reminded him of Elphaba in some way. And no girl kissed like her. So, he needed more and more drinks to attempt to block her from his mind and make him forget that whichever girl he was with was 'wrong'.

Stumble home alone and drunk; pass out; cure hangover; repeat cycle.

However, this night he seemed to be doing pretty well. In an hour and a half, he'd only had two drinks. Of course, it may have helped that he'd been talking for most of the night with Finor and some of the guys rather than dancing or flirting with girls.

He was on his way back from the bathroom when he saw her.

Elphaba was sitting with Galinda, Boq and Nessa at a table. And she looked amazing. The black dress she wore clung to her figure and someone, Galinda he was guessing, had curled her hair, and the soft curls bounced off her shoulders when she moved her head. Fiyero watched as she smiled at Galinda and Boq as they walked away, heading for the dance floor and Nessa said something to her sister before wheeling away, leaving her alone at the table.

Instinctively, Fiyero took a few steps towards her, and then froze. A senior boy, who he was pretty sure was named Paol, had just taken the empty seat beside her and set a drink down on the table before her. Fiyero didn't know him personally, but he knew of him. He was supposed to be very smart. So naturally, Fiyero hated him.

He watched as Elphaba accepted it with a small, shy smile and took a sip. Fiyero just stood there and watched them for a few minutes. Paol leaned in with a smile and said something to Elphaba that made her laugh.

Fiyero's gut churned. Were she and Paol dating now? What was he doing buying her drinks? What was he saying to make her laugh? Elphaba's laugh was such a magical and rare thing, every time he heard it he smiled. Why was this guy able to get her to laugh?

He was jealous, he could admit that. Yes, he had no right to be, but that didn't stop him. Before he could think it through, he was making his way through the crowd to their table.

"Hey, Fae," he greeted her, slipping into the now empty chair on the other side of her.

Elphaba stilled and turned to him. "Can I help you?" she asked coolly.

"Didn't you promise me a dance?" he asked with a charming grin.

Elphaba's eyes narrowed. "No, actually. I didn't. You must have me confused with someone else."

Fiyero let his eyes move to Paol and he feigned surprise. "Oh, sorry. Didn't realise you were with a friend. It's Pol, isn't it?"

"Uh, it's Paol, actually," Paol corrected, holding out his hand to shake Fiyero's.

"Fiyero," he nodded, shaking the offered hand. Then he promptly turned his attention back to Elphaba.

"So, Fae I've been meaning to talk to you. I got a letter from Noak today and he's invited his fiancée to his fifth birthday party this summer," he chuckled.

Elphaba's face burned, but before she could say anything, Fiyero had turned to Paol to explain.

"Noak's my nephew," he explained. "He's got a bit of a crush on Elphaba, here. He actually said he wants to marry her when he grows up, isn't that cute?" he laughed.

"Of course, Kas- my sister," he added as an aside to Paol before continuing. "She enclosed a note that you're more than welcome to come and to spend the summer with us. They all _loved _you at Lurlinemas. You're practically one of the family now!"

"That's really nice," Paol said, slipping out of his chair. "Well, I should let you two arrange that, then. Nice talking to you, Elphaba."

Elphaba began to protest, but he was already gone. Her eyes flashing, she whirled around to face Fiyero.

"That was all true, by the way," Fiyero said casually.

"I know it's true, I got the invite," Elphaba snarled. "What do you think you're doing?"

Fiyero shrugged. "What? Just thought I should tell you. I didn't know Noak had sent you your own invitation," he defended himself.

"Oh, please," Elphaba rolled her eyes. "You just didn't want me talking to Paol. Well, guess what, Fiyero? _You _broke up with _me. _That doesn't mean I can't talk to other guys, or even date them if I wanted to. Or do you find it so hard to believe that other guys beside you would actually be interested in me?"

Fiyero snorted. "Of course they're interested in you when you dress like _that," _he said, nodding to the way she was dressed.

Elphaba gritted her teeth. "What's _that _supposed to mean?" she demanded.

Fiyero shrugged again, as though it were simple. "When you've been all _Galindafied _like that, guys will notice. And being able to say you slept with the green girl is a big deal."

Elphaba felt as though she'd been slapped.

"Well, that explains why _you _were so eager to date me," she said tightly.

It had never made sense to her why Fiyero was interested her in the first place. But his words made sense. Dating her had been about the challenge, the chase, the notoriety he would gain from being to add the only green girl in Oz to his long list of conquests.

She grabbed her bag and stood up. She had stayed over the three hours she'd promised Galinda, but had actually been enjoying herself and decided to stay. But now all she wanted to do was to get out of there and away from Fiyero.

She felt so stupid. She had actually believed that Fiyero liked her, and to think that he had only done it to try and sleep with her… she felt hurt.

Fiyero realised he had done the wrong thing, and jumped to his feet too.

"Elphaba it wasn't like that," he said, but she was already walking off and ignored him.

"Elphaba!" he hurried after her, he grabbed her arm, which she shrugged off.

"Leave me alone Fiyero," she said, in a slightly constricted voice.

Not perturbed, he reached for her again. "I didn't mean-"

"Don't touch me," she pulled out of his grasp once more and continued walking.

"Will you just stop-" Fiyero said angrily, and wrapped his fingers around her upper arm and tugged.

Elphaba whirled around in a fury before he could blink and her free hand swung up. Fiyero didn't even register her fist until she'd made contact with his nose, when a wave of pain forced him to release her arm and he fell backwards onto the floor.

Blood poured from his nose, and he gaped up at Elphaba, who was trembling with anger.

"Don't. _Touch. _Me," she said shakily, as people around them stopped and stared in horror. "Don't talk to me, don't come near me. Just stay _away."_

With that she stormed away, leaving Fiyero lying on the floor, blood dripping down his face. As she left the OzDust and entered the night air, Elphaba's hand throbbed painfully. She blinked back tears, and flexed out her hand, trying to shake off the stinging pain.

"Elphie! Elphie, wait!"

Elphaba stopped and let Galinda run after her as fast as she could in her towering heels without breaking an ankle.

"Elphie, are you okay?" she asked when she came within earshot.

She didn't wait for an answer, as soon as she saw Elphaba's face she pulled her friend in for a tight hug.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to spoil your night Glin," Elphaba apologised. "You should go back to Boq. I'm just going to go to bed."

Galinda grimaced. "Er, Boq and Teron are taking Fiyero to the hospital," she explained. Then she linked her arm in Elphaba's.

"Besides, you're more important than Boq. He knows that. Come on, let's go home. I'll look at your hand."

Galinda (with all her medical experience and knowledge) didn't think the hand was seriously injured, just bruised.

"Unfortunately, it's my writing hand," Elphaba sighed, as Galinda handed her an ice pack.

Galinda smiled sympathetically as she sat down on Elphaba's bed next to her. "Are you okay, Elphie? What happened? Did Fiyero say something? Or do something?"

Elphaba swallowed hard. "I was just talking to Paol when Fiyero turned up and started saying how much his family loved me… he basically got rid of him pretty quick, even though we were just talking. He said… that the only reason guys would talk to me when I'm dressed like this is to try and sleep with me. Apparently, whoever beds the green girl gets a prize or something," she said sarcastically.

Galinda's eyes widened. "He didn't actually _say _that?"

"No," Elphaba admitted. "But he may as well have. It's just… maybe I read too much into it. I said it explained his interest in me. I left and he followed and wouldn't leave. So… I punched him."

Galinda said nothing, and Elphaba ran her good hand through her hair.

"It felt like he was admitting the only reason… do you think it's possible that he only asked me out to try and sleep with me? Maybe that's why he ended it, because I wouldn't," she suggested.

"Elphie, Fiyero wouldn't-"

"No? Look at his reputation, Galinda. Not even that, look at his behaviour the last two weeks alone!" Elphaba argued.

Galinda didn't know what to think. She wanted to defend Fiyero, because she had truly believed that he and Elphaba were good together. They balanced one another well, both seemed to encourage growth in the other, and they had seemed so happy. The breakup had stunned Galinda almost as much as it had Elphaba.

She wanted to think that they would work everything out and reunite, but it seemed less and less likely… especially given tonight. And Elphaba was right, it didn't look good for Fiyero to support an argument his goal had not been to ultimately bed the green girl.

"You really think that's why he broke up with you? Because you wouldn't sleep with him?" Galinda asked and Elphaba shrugged.

"He didn't exactly give a reason to suggest otherwise. His words were _I can't do it anymore. _He didn't specify what 'it' is."

Galinda sighed and hugged her again. "I want to believe that's not it. That he had another reason," she said softly.

Elphaba chuckled sadly. "Me too," she whispered. "I just can't think of a reason not to."


	19. Chapter 19

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**Chapter Nineteen**

Pretty much every girl on campus had previously disliked Elphaba, although they had no real reason to. When she had begun dating Fiyero, they had hated her because Fiyero had chosen her over them, for no apparent reason. But after last weekend, when she had broken Fiyero's "perfect" nose, it was safe to say every girl at Shiz pretty much _loathed _Elphaba.

The first time she saw him, in class on Monday, with a swollen nose and two black eyes, Elphaba could admit she felt a little guilty. But she was still furious at him, and so her stubborn, angry pride refused to allow her to apologise- merely on principle, of course.

Fiyero had guessed that it was only a matter of time before his behaviour, which was a radical change from what it had been for his first semester at Shiz, reached back to the Vinkus and his parents.

But he hadn't expected that when a royal carriage pulled up to Shiz, it would be Kastle inside, and not Ibrahim with another lecture. Fiyero had been in his room, inspecting the now slightly yellowing bruises on his face, when there was a knock on the door.

"Coming!" he called and went to open it.

"Kas!" he greeted her in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Kastle was only openly gaping in shock at her brother's face. "_Yero! _What _happened _to you?" she gasped.

Fiyero grimaced. "Would you believe Elphaba?"

Kastle's eyes widened and then narrowed. "Why would Elphaba…?"

"Break my nose?" Fiyero finished dryly. He sighed. "It's a long story."

"I've got time," Kastle replied, coming inside the room. "I've got a lecture to pass on to you from Dad, which I think will go for at least fifteen minutes."

"Why isn't Dad here to deliver it himself?"

Kastle sat herself on Fiyero's desk chair. "I offered to come. I'm on my way to the Emerald City for a few days, so this was almost on the way. Besides I wanted to talk to you."

"About?" Fiyero asked warily, closing the door and sitting on his bed.

"About why we're getting letters about your grades and behaviour. About why Elphaba wrote to me saying she didn't think it would be appropriate for her to attend Noak's birthday party, which devastrated him, by the way."

Fiyero sighed heavily. "We broke up," he admitted. "About three weeks ago."

Kastle raised an eyebrow. "That would explain the broken nose, but the timing looks wrong. This looks pretty fresh."

Fiyero touched his nose gingerly. "Yeah, this happened Saturday night."

"Why?" Kastle asked.

"Why did she punch me?" Fiyero asked, unsure.

Kastle shrugged. "Why don't we start with why you broke up and work our way up to the nose. Because I feel the two are related."

Fiyero paused. "I don't know where to start," he sighed.

"Well, who broke up with who?"

"I broke up with her," he admitted.

He was surprised as Kastle seized a clean pair of rolled up socks that were sitting on his desk and threw them at him, which bounced off his forehead onto his lap.

"Why, you idiot? Why did you do a stupid thing like that?" she demanded.

"Hey, I don't have to explain myself to you!" Fiyero snapped at her.

"Well, why don't you explain it to my son?" Kastle snapped back.

Fiyero threw the socks to the ground angrily, and stood up, beginning to pace the room restlessly. "It's no one's business why I broke up with her!"

"Did you cheat on her?" Kastle asked.

Fiyero was stunned. "What? No! If I had, do you think _I_ would have broken up with _her_?"

"Did she cheat on you?" his sister guessed.

The idea was completely unthinkable, he knew Elphaba would never do that. _"No!"_

"Did you have a fight?"

"No," he said tiredly.

Kastle threw up her hands in exasperation. "Well, you're going to have to help me out here, Fiyero, because I can't think-"

"Because I got scared, Ok?" Fiyero burst out, turning to her.

"I fell in love with her and I got scared. So I broke it off, okay? Are you _happy _now?"

Kastle was speechless. "You're in love with her?"

Fiyero moaned and sat back down on his bed. "Stupidly, crazily, totally in love with her," he nodded glumly.

Kastle was still struggling to understand. "You're in love with her… so you dumped her? Yeah, _that_ makes sense."

"You don't get it, Kastle," Fiyero sighed.

"Then _help _me to," she stressed.

"I panicked," he admitted. "I realised it and… Oz, Kas… I could see it all in that moment. My entire life with Elphaba. And it scared the crap out of me. Because I'm not cut out for that! And I'm not ready to settle down and get married and everything. I know you were, but the idea of doing it all… of my entire life revolving around Elphaba is the scariest thought I've ever had. And Elphaba… you don't know what it's been like for her. Her entire life, she's never really had anyone until me and Galinda. She doesn't realise how beautiful she is, or how perfect she is… and I freaked out."

"Yero…"

"And I tried… I tried to get over it, to go with it and to be okay with it. But I couldn't. I felt… like I was suffocating and I couldn't get past the fear. And Elphaba knew… she _knew _something was wrong and she wanted to know what was bugging me… so I ended it."

Kastle looked at her brother's face and felt bad for him. A little.

"And how have you felt since then?"

"Awful," he confessed. "I miss her. So much, all the time. I thought… I thought we could be friends. I told her I wanted to be friends, because the idea of not talking to her or seeing her, or having her in my life really sucks. But she doesn't want to be friends. She doesn't want anything to do with me."

"Did you tell Elphaba this?" Kastle asked.

"No," Fiyero replied.

"What reason did you give her?"

Fiyero grimaced, knowing his sister wouldn't like his response. "That it wasn't working and I couldn't do it anymore."

"Fiyero!" Kastle exclaimed furiously. "No wonder she wants nothing to do with you! That's _not_ a reason!"

"What was I supposed to say?" Fiyero demanded.

Kastle opened her mouth, but had no good response. The truth would hardly work. She sighed wearily.

"Tell me about the nose."

Fiyero looked slightly sheepish. "We were at the OzDust Saturday night, and I saw some guy talking to her. And I got jealous," he admitted. "So, I went up and got rid of him. Elphaba was kinda mad and I said something I shouldn't have. I tried to go after her and she punched me."

"How bad is it?" Kastle asked, studying his nose carefully.

"The doctor said it's a clean break. He didn't even have to set it. I just have to wear the tape for another two weeks."

Kastle shook her head. "Between the two of you, you're sure good at putting one another in hospital. Maybe it's a good thing you broke up before one of you killed the other."

Fiyero didn't find that amusing.

"Have you tried talking to her? Telling her the truth?" Kastle suggested.

Fiyero snorted. "Yeah, right. She told me to stay away. I don't know what she'll aim for next time."

Kastle stared at him pointedly. "Talk to her. Tell her the truth," she said firmly.

"Kas, she wants _nothing _to do with me."

"Fiyero, she deserves the truth. You cannot end a three month relationship without giving a real reason. Because otherwise, you end up… well, like you," she said.

Fiyero made a face. "Gee, thanks," he said sarcastically.

She shrugged. "I'm your big sister. It's what I'm here for. Now, tell me about why Mom and Dad are getting letters about you."

Fiyero cleared his throat. "Well… I've been spending a lot of time at the OzDust…"

"Drinking," Kastle said matter-of-factly.

"Yes. I keep seeing Elphaba's face. Every girl, every time I close my eyes, I see her. The drinks help me not see her."

Kastle raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"No," he admitted. "But they help me pretend I can't see her. And then, I've kinda fallen behind in most of my classes…"

Kastle sighed. "Yeah, that's pretty much the gist of the letters," she agreed. "Yero, if you and Elphaba hadn't broken up…"

"She'd be kicking my ass," Fiyero finished readily.

"I know you're hurting, but I think you're dealing with the hurt the wrong way. Elphaba's not out drinking every night, is she?"

Fiyero scoffed at the idea. "No. She's…"

"Punching you," Kastle grinned. "Much healthier."

"For her maybe, not me," Fiyero grumbled. Then he sighed. "I can't talk to her. She'll hate me."

"Doesn't she already?" Kastle asked. "Look, if you still want her as part of your life, you're both going to need closure and then _maybe _one day, the two of you can be friends. But for Elphaba to get that, she's going to need to know the truth. Otherwise, she's going to keep thinking she did something wrong."

"I told her it was nothing she did!" Fiyero defended himself.

Kastle shrugged. "Maybe. But that doesn't mean she doesn't believe it's because of something she is. And I'm not talking about her skin," she added, before Fiyero could ask.

Fiyero considered that for a moment.

"If I promise to try and talk to her, will you leave?"

Kastle grinned. "Yes. And consider this the lecture I swore to Dad I would recite to you word-for-word in a wrathful voice."

Fiyero smiled slightly. "Thanks, Kas."

Kastle got up and hugged him. "Talk to her. If you really love her, talk to her."

Fiyero promised and Kastle left his room and headed back to the carriage. On her way, she passed two girls heading towards the library, a blonde and one with emerald green skin.

"Elphaba?"

The two girls turned, and Elphaba looked surprised. "Kastle."

Kastle approached her and smiled. "Hello."

Elphaba looked flustered. "Hi. Uh, Galinda, this is Fiyero's sister, Kastle. Kastle, this is my best friend, Galinda Upland."

"Hello," the blonde greeted her.

Elphaba shifted uncomfortably. "Um, what are you doing here?"

"I just dropped by on my way to the Emerald City to say hi to Fiyero," Kastle replied airily.

Elphaba nodded. "So…"

"I love your hair," Kastle interrupted and Elphaba self-consciously tucked a few strands behind one ear.

"Thank you. Did Fiyero mention…"

Kastle reached out and hugged her. "Yes, he did. I'm sorry."

Elphaba forced a smile. "Thank you."

Galinda was suspicious. "What about his nose?"

Kastle feigned innocence. "Yeah, he said he walked in to a door. That's my brother for you! Well, I've got to go or I'll be late reaching the City. Nice seeing you, Elphaba."

She waved as she continued on her way, smiling at Elphaba's surprised expression. She hoped her brother fulfilled his promise and talked to Elphaba.

She genuinely liked the girl, and thought she had been really good for Fiyero. And she'd take it to her grave, but she was a little proud of her for breaking Fiyero's nose.


	20. Chapter 20

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. Oh... everyone's reviews for the last chapter were so full of hope... and now I'm going to crush it. Sorry. Minor setback, I promise!**

**I wasn't planning to update yet, but I just got super homesick and lonely, so...**

**Chapter Twenty**

Fiyero wanted to keep his promise to Kastle about talking to Elphaba and telling her the truth, but he was also wary of talking to Elphaba after her explicit command to stay away from her.

And even if he _was _bold enough to go and talk to Elphaba, what would he say?

After a day or two, he decided it was worth the risk of bodily harm- he missed her. So, when he knew she had a free afternoon, he went looking for her.

He found her in the library, hard at work, compiling all her notes for her Life Sciences assignment into a rough order and outline so she could begin writing her first draft. He approached her quietly, not sure what to say to her or to broach the subject.

Finally he just cleared his throat awkwardly and waited for her to look up. When she did, her gaze hardened slightly and said nothing, just looked at him.

"Uh, hi," he said simply. He was being very careful not to address her as "Fae", because he didn't think she'd appreciate that right now.

"I really need to talk to you. Is that okay? You don't have to say anything, you just have to listen. It's really important, _please?"_

Elphaba still said nothing, which Fiyero took as a positive sign. He slowly sat down opposite her.

"I just… I wanted to talk to you, about… about the day we broke- the day I broke up with you," he corrected himself. The last thing he wanted to imply was that their split had been a mutual decision, by any degree.

"I know that you asked for a reason, and I didn't really give you one," he admitted. "And I should have. Because you deserved that, and-"

"Can I ask you something?" she interrupted.

Fiyero felt a wave of relief that she had spoken to him. "Yes, anything," he agreed.

"And if I ask, you'll answer honestly?" she continued.

"Yes," Fiyero promised.

Elphaba laid down her pen and looked at her hands before looking up and meeting his gaze.

"When you asked me out, or when we dated, did it have anything to do with wanting to sleep with me?" she asked simply.

The idea had been playing around in her head for days. It made sense and explained so much, to be able to say that Fiyero had only been interested in her for sex. But a part of her, a rather large part, didn't want to believe it.

Fiyero gaped at her in surprise. When Elphaba had asked if she could ask him a question and get an honest answer, he had never expected that to be her question. She was looking at him expectantly waiting for his answer, but Fiyero couldn't get over his shock.

"What? No! Never! Why would you think that? Elphaba… okay, yes I thought about it," he admitted.

"I would have been an idiot not to, but it was never the reason. I mean, you're just not that type of girl- I mean, your skin-"

Fiyero at least had the foresight to see he was digging himself deeper into the ground, and clamped his mouth shut.

But there was still hurt clearly visible in her eyes, and he knew immediately how she had interpreted his response.

"Fae, it was never about sex, okay?" he tried one last time, but that just made it worse.

Elphaba nodded wordlessly as she packed her things away. "Of course not. Because sleeping with the green girl would be a big deal; except for the fact it would mean _sleeping_ with the _green_ girl," she said and left without another word.

Fiyero banged his head on the table. "You shouldn't talk. Ever," he scolded himself.

It was official- he'd never speak to Elphaba again.

By the time Elphaba reached her room, she was in tears. Galinda was painting her toenails, and immediately looked at alarm, at the tears running down her friends' face.

"Elphie?"

Elphaba sobbed quietly as she sat down on the end of Galinda's bed, and Galinda moved to sit next to her.

"I asked Fiyero if it was true," she whispered.

Galinda's heart sank. It didn't look good. "And?" she prodded nonetheless.

"He said it was never about sex… because… because of my skin…"

Galinda drew in her breath. "Elphie, he didn't?"

Elphaba only cried harder. "I should have known," she wept. "I thought he was different, that he was the _one _person who honestly didn't care about my skin. But…"

Galinda's heart ached. This was the first time Elphaba had really cried since Fiyero had broken up with her, except for the day she'd cut her hair, and that was more about the shock of what she'd done and why she'd done it than anything else. These tears were strictly pain-filled heartache over Fiyero.

Galinda hugged Elphaba silently, knowing there was nothing she could say that would make her friend feel better in this moment.

"Glin? Can I tell you a secret?" Elphaba whispered after a few moments.

"Of course," Galinda replied immediately.

Elphaba hesitated. She'd never said this aloud before, she'd never even confessed it to herself before.

"I thought… I was pretty sure I was falling in love with him," she confessed in a broken murmur.

"I knew it was stupid and it was crazy, but… I think I might have loved him. And I told myself there was no way he could ever love me back, but a little part of me hoped… that one day he might. And now…"

Galinda didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry, Elphie. I'm so sorry."

"It really hurts," Elphaba admitted. "Every time I see him, it just hurts. Even if he didn't love me, I thought he might have cared… a little."

"I know," Galinda agreed sympathetically. "What do you want to do?"

Elphaba closed her eyes and shook her head. "I don't want to see him anymore. I don't want it to hurt anymore."

"I wish I could help," Galinda felt awful and completely useless.

Elphaba gave her a faint smile. "You are."

Galinda hesitated. "I'm supposed to have dinner with Boq. I can cancel if you need me," she offered but Elphaba shook her head immediately.

"No, it's okay. Maybe I'll spend some time with Nessa, I feel like I've been neglecting her a little lately."

"She understands why," Galinda assured her.

"I know," Elphaba nodded. "But still… you should go to dinner. Say 'hi' to Boq for me."

Boq could tell immediately that something was troubling Galinda as soon as he picked her up for dinner that night.

He waited until they got to the restaurant and had started eating before raising the subject.

"Glin, is everything okay?"

Galinda sighed heavily. "It's Elphie. And Fiyero. The two of them… together, separate…"

Boq smiled sympathetically. "Neither of them seem very happy, do they?"

Galinda shook her head. "No. Elphie's really hurting, and I can't do anything to help her. Have you spoken to Fiyero?"

Boq frowned. "No. Most of the time I see him, he's either drunk or hung over. Neither are really good states to have a conversation in."

"I just don't understand what went wrong with them!" she exclaimed in frustration. "They seemed so happy! She'd met his _family, _for Oz's sake!"

"I know, it happened fast," Boq agreed unhappily. "I hate the thought that it can happen that way."

Galinda took his hands across the table. "I know. I mean, it could have been _us, _Boq! We started dating only a few days after they did," she pointed out.

Boq smiled. "Do you really think I'd let you go after trying to get you to notice me and pronounce my name right for so long?" he teased and she laughed and then sobered.

"Fiyero spent so long trying to convince Elphie to go out with him. And then he turned around and broke her heart. It just doesn't make any sense!" she complained.

Boq was thoughtful. "And Elphaba has no idea what caused him to break it off?"

Galinda shook her head. "No. She has _theories, _all of which I hope to Oz aren't true, because if so… I'd break Fiyero's nose myself."

"Have you tried talking to Fiyero? Asking him why?"

Galinda nodded. "After Elphie told me, I wanted to know why."

Boq hid a smile. "I remember. But have you tried _asking _him, and talking to him, instead of yelling at him?"

"No," Galinda admitted. "At the moment, I don't think I _want _to talk to him."

"If you really want to understand, maybe you should try talking to him?" Boq suggested. "I mean, you two were friends… before this. And for all you know, he could be hurting as much as Elphaba."

"He did the dumping, why would _he _be hurting?" she demanded, her eyes narrowed. "Besides, why me? Why not you, or Teron?"

Boq grimaced. "Guys don't really share their feelings with one another much. Besides, we don't have your ability to get people to open up to them, darling," he complimented her and Galinda blushed.

"You're so sweet," she gushed lovingly.

"Ok," she agreed reluctantly. "I'll try and talk to Fiyero, and see if he'll tell me why he ended it."

Galinda wasn't very excited about the prospect and she didn't know how it could help, because _of course _she was on Elphaba's side, which meant immediately she was against Fiyero.

But she hated seeing her best friend in pain, so if she had to confront Fiyero to find out the truth, she would. Because Galinda was just that type of friend.

**AN. And just because I can- Wicked tickets for Singapore are booked! 51 days to go! Front row for 2 shows! So, now we're in that phase where every time I listen to the soundtrack, I cry, knowing that I'm seeing it soon! **


	21. Chapter 21

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Galinda spent any free moment she had in the next day and a half trying to find Fiyero and talk to him, hoping to learn why he broke up with Elphaba. But she quickly realised that Boq had been right the day before.

Most of the time, Fiyero was hung over or drunk, and Galinda would prefer not having a conversation with him in either state.

So, that night, when Elphaba was in the library working on her Life Sciences assignment, Galinda made her way to the OzDust.

She felt a little guilty, she was pretty sure Elphaba wouldn't be too thrilled with her if she knew what she was doing, but Galinda wanted answers. And Fiyero was the only one who could give them to her.

Galinda timed her arrival hoping that she would be there either before or not too long after Fiyero, before he could begin drinking too much. Luck seemed to be on her side, when she walked in, she saw Fiyero sitting at the bar glumly. The fact he was alone and not surrounded by a flock of girls seemed to suggest that he hadn't been there long.

She made her way across the room, smiling at people she knew and waving at a few.

"Hi, Fiyero," she greeted him, sitting on the stool beside him and ordering herself a drink.

He turned his head and looked at her. "Hey, Glin," he said heavily.

Galinda grimaced. Clearly, she hadn't been as early as she'd hoped. There was alcohol on Fiyero's breath and whilst he wasn't drunk, it was obvious he'd had more drinks than Galinda would have liked for this conversation.

"Fiyero, can I talk to you?" she asked him. "It's really important."

Fiyero shrugged. "Sure, talk away."

Galinda looked around. "I was kind of hoping to talk privately."

"Why? What's wrong with here?"

Just then, Fiyero was clapped heavily on the shoulder by Finor, who was most definitely drunk.

"Tiggular! There is a very fine redhead here you should definishly go talk to!"

Galinda frowned. "We're actually in the middle of a conversation," she replied, gesturing between herself and Fiyero.

"Tell you what, Finor, why don't _you _take this one?"

Finor shrugged. "Sure. His loss. See ya!"

When he'd gone, Galinda turned pointedly back to Fiyero. "That is what's wrong with here."

Fiyero sighed. "Fine," he agreed reluctantly.

Galinda led him outside and sat him down on a bench, sitting next to him.

"So, what's so important Galinda?"

Galinda looked him straight in the eye. "You. You need to pull yourself together and talk to Elphaba. You need to fix this."

Fiyero raised an eyebrow. "Pull myself together? I am together!"

Galinda scoffed. "No, you're not. You're a mess. And you have no right to be."

"I have no right to be a mess?" Fiyero demanded indignantly.

"No! _You _broke up with Elphie. After, I might remind you, spending a _week _nagging her to go out with you!"

"Wait a minute, I know this song!" Fiyero mocked her bitterly. "How dare I try and convince Elphaba to go out with me if I was only going to break her heart; and you can't believe you ever encouraged her to say yes. Well, guess what, Galinda? I don't know why she bothered saying yes either, when she so obviously _hates_ me."

"She doesn't hate you, Fiyero," Galinda said softly.

"The broken nose would suggest otherwise," Fiyero retorted, pointing to his still swollen nose and bruised eyes, staring at the ground.

Galinda sighed. "She dated you because she saw the _real _you," she told him gently. "Not the dancing through life playboy prince. Because _this-" _she stressed, pointing to him. "This isn't you, Fiyero. Elphie saw the real you, and she liked what she saw. And I know that, because I see it too."

Fiyero looked up at Galinda, who was encouraged by that and continued.

"I don't know why you broke up with Elphie, and I know a lot of stuff has happened since between the two of you. But it can be fixed, I know it can. You just have to _try _and talk to her."

Fiyero was still staring at her, wide eyed. "You really think so?" he asked.

Galinda nodded softly. "Absolutely."

Fiyero was still staring at her, and it took Galinda a moment to realise he was leaning in. Swiftly, she placed a hand on his chest to stop him.

"Don't, Fiyero," she told him. "Because A- I may be dating only a Munchkin, but he'll still kick your ass, and in this condition, I'm pretty sure he can take you; and B- you'll regret it in the morning if you do. Clearly it's not over between you and Elphie, or you wouldn't be so miserable."

Fiyero scoffed. "I'm _not _miserable," he argued and she rolled her eyes.

"Fiyero, if _this _is you happy, you have serious problems."

She tapped his cheek and stood up. "Go home, sleep it off, have a shower in the morning, and then talk to Elphie."

With that, she walked off, leaving Fiyero sitting there alone.

Fiyero, for reasons unknown, actually did what she said.

He left the OzDust and went back to his room and went to sleep, Galinda's words ringing in his head.

When he woke up, it took a few minutes for Fiyero to recall what had happened the night before. He was completely horrified with himself, and was so grateful for Galinda for stopping him. Maybe she was right, and things with Elphaba could be fixed. But not, he knew, if he had made a move on her best friend.

He showered and dressed and headed out into the sun. For the first time in a long time that he could remember, Fiyero was relatively not hung over.

He was heading to the cafeteria for breakfast, when he saw Galinda walking across the courtyard. Quickly, he hurried after her.

"Glin!"

She turned and waited for him to approach. "Hi," she greeted him.

"Hi. Can I talk to you for a second?"

Galinda nodded. "Of course."

They sat down at the base of the statue in the courtyard and Fiyero took a deep breath.

"I just wanted to thank you… for what you did last night," he said awkwardly.

Galinda merely blinked at him. "What happened last night?" she asked innocently, and Fiyero grinned, realising what she was doing.

"Thank you," he said again and she shrugged.

"You're welcome."

There was a pause and then Galinda looked at him carefully. "Fiyero? What happened with you and Elphie?"

Fiyero paused, and then decided to go with the truth. It was looking less and less likely he'd ever get to tell it to Elphaba, so he may as well tell Galinda.

"I got scared," he confessed. "I realised that I'm in love with her and I got scared. So… I ran. I broke it off with her and I ran."

Galinda's eyes almost fell out of her head. She had never expected _that _to be the reason.

"Fiyero!" she gasped. "Why?"

Fiyero moaned, gripping his hair. "Because I'm an idiot," he replied. "I've never been in love before, and the idea… terrified me. It still does, but… Oz, I miss her."

Galinda was quiet. "She misses you too. She's really hurt, Fiyero."

"I know and I hate myself for it," he sighed. "I don't know what to do anymore, Glin."

"_Talk _to her," Galinda rolled her eyes exasperatedly.

Fiyero grimaced. "That's what Kastle said."

Galinda brightened. "I met her! She seemed nice. And smart, if she agrees with me. Fiyero, just talk to Elphie."

Fiyero shook his head miserably. "It's too late, Galinda. I've blown it. Every time I speak to her I just make it worse. Even if she misses me, she wouldn't take me back."

"She would if she loved you too," Galinda sang.

Fiyero did a double take and stared at Galinda. "Elphaba loves me?" he asked hopefully.

Galinda shrugged innocently. She wasn't going to reveal her friend's secret, but she could at least _help _right?

"Maybe," she said innocently.

Fiyero felt a lump in his throat. Elphaba loved him… most likely- he wasn't too sure if Galinda knew this for a fact or was just hopeful. But still, there was a chance.

And then his heart sank. No wonder she'd broken his nose. If she'd loved him, and he'd not only broken up with her for no real reason (according to Kastle and Galinda); but been acting so horrendibly since… he wasn't sure breaking his nose was enough. She should have torn him apart.

He sighed. "Glin, even if she _does _love me, I still don't think she'd take me back. And she shouldn't take me back… I wouldn't," he said glumly.

Galinda sighed too, and stood up. "Well, _one_ of you has too, because I'm getting really sick of the two of you moping around."

For the second time in twenty-four hours, Fiyero watched Galinda walk away from him.


	22. Chapter 22

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. I kind of like Galinda's Plan B :D But Fiyero's still hesitating a little bit... I thought he need one more push.**

**And OMO, I feel awful! When I was posting _In this Life _(my NCIS fic and most recently posted story before this) PocketSevens wrote to me and asked if it was okay with me if he published a companion piece to _One Night With the King._**

**__I said yes, and promised to advertise it when I started posting this... but I don't think I did. Sorry! I got distracted by moving and teaching... and Wicked Awards... I'm so sorry! **

**Anyway, go read it! It's called "ONWTK: Dispelling the rumours" and it's FANTASTIC. (And review it too!)**

**Chapter Twenty- Two**

Elphaba couldn't believe it had been a month since Fiyero had broken up with her. It had been the longest month of her life, and one of the most awful.

Her hair was growing, it was now just above her shoulder blades; which was the most obvious sign of how much time had really passed.

It was mid- March by now, and spring was beginning to creep into the air and into Shiz. Students were celebrating by flocking to the grounds every time the sun appeared, even though it wasn't really warm enough yet to begin shedding jackets.

One day, she was on her way back from Sorcery, when she rounded a corner and almost literally ran into someone.

"Sorry," she apologised, stepping aside instinctively to let the other person through.

"Oh no, please, ladies first," a pleasant voice replied and Elphaba looked up.

It was a man, she was pretty sure he was a junior but didn't know his name.

"Thank you," she accepted and moved past him.

"It's Elphaba, isn't it?" he asked after her, and she turned in surprise.

Few on campus knew her name, and fewer still actually used it.

"Yes," she replied tentatively and he held out a hand.

"I'm Andris, nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you," he said as he shook her hand.

"I'm sure," Elphaba replied dryly and he grinned.

"I mean from Dr Dillamond. You're his prize student, you know."

Elphaba flushed. "He's a good teacher," she replied simply and he nodded.

"I know."

Elphaba was curious, she had never imagined that Dr Dillamond would discuss her in his other classes. "What exactly does he say?"

Andris grinned. "Mostly that if we all put as much effort into our assignments as you did, he would be a very happy Goat."

Elphaba flushed again in embarrassment. "Sorry," she apologised and Andris laughed.

"It's okay. He actually gave us one of your essays when he was recapping proper essay structure with us... one about the Great Drought?"

Elphaba remembered it and nodded. "Yeah, he asked me if I would be okay with it. I never imagined it would be given to a junior class though."

"Well, I thought it was a fantastic essay. You raised some fascinating arguments," Andris complimented her.

Elphaba was slightly flattered. All she knew of Andris was that he was a very good student. He definitely knew what he was talking about when it came to academics.

"Thank you," she accepted gratefully and then paused. "I should be going. But it was nice meeting you," she said.

Andris paused. "Would you like to get dinner sometime? There's a lot I'd like to talk to you about."

Elphaba was startled, she hadn't expected that. "Oh, I- I don't know," she replied, flustered.

Andris wasn't perturbed though. "Do you want to check your schedule?" he offered.

Elphaba leapt on the excuse to delay answering. "Sure," she agreed.

"OK. How about Friday night? You can just let me know. I'm in room 408," he told her and she nodded slowly.

"Ok," she said uncertainly and Andris smiled and walked off.

Elphaba stood there for a moment, completely confusified. It was as though she had stepped into an alternate dimension. What in Oz's name was going on that she was suddenly being asked out?

Almost unconsciously, Fiyero's words at the OzDust came back to her. Was that why Andris had asked her out? To try and sleep with her? Had Fiyero been right?

Deciding she needed Galinda's advice on this, she hurried back up to their room, hoping Galinda was in. Unfortunately, she wasn't, but Elphaba didn't think she'd be long. Restless and trying to sort out her thoughts, she began pacing the room.

When Galinda finally entered and saw her, and the conflicted look on her roommate's face, she'd hoped that it was a good sign. Had Fiyero talked to her?

"Hey, Elphie. How was Sorcery?"

Elphaba turned and shrugged. "It was fine. Glin, I need to talk to you."

Galinda's heart leapt. Fiyero _had _talked to her! It was the only explanation.

"Sure, what's going on?" she asked innocently, sitting down.

Elphaba sat down on her bed and sighed. "I just got asked out."

Galinda was confused. "By Fiyero?"

Elphaba was startled. "What? No, of course not. By some guy… Andris? I think he's a junior."

Galinda's eyes widened. "Oh my Oz! _Andris _asked you out? He's so cute! Did you say yes?"

"I said I'd check my schedule and let him know," she replied.

"But you're going to say yes, right?" Galinda prodded.

Elphaba shook her head, looking lost. "I don't know."

Galinda was torn. She was disappointed and annoyed that Fiyero hadn't talked to Elphaba, but Elphaba being asked out by someone else and Elphaba at least considering accepting was a good sign, right? Not for Elphaba and Fiyero getting back together of course, but for Elphaba moving on.

And then Galinda had a spark of genius. Maybe this was the catalyst Fiyero needed to actually stop moping and talk to Elphaba. It was all very well for him avoiding the subject when she was alone; but Galinda was willing to bet if Fiyero was faced with the prospect of Elphaba dating someone else and him losing her forever with _definitely _no hope of winning her back, it might be enough to spur him into action.

She jumped up and sat next to Elphaba. "What's stopping you? Is it Fiyero?" she asked gently.

Elphaba hesitated. "Maybe a little," she admitted. "Which I know is stupid, because it's not as if we're going to get back together. But it's not just Fiyero as my ex-boyfriend… do you remember what I told you he said to me at the OzDust?"

"The night you broke his nose?" Galinda asked and Elphaba grimaced slightly.

"Yes."

Galinda thought back. "What he said about… about guys just wanting to sleep with you?"

Elphaba nodded. "What if he was right?" she asked quietly.

Galinda rolled her eyes and hugged her. "Elphie, why is it so hard for you to accept that guys might like you?"

"Because they never have before," Elphaba replied straightforwardly.

Galinda was thoughtful. "Elphie, I don't know if he's right. I don't think he is, but I can't say, because we all know men are idiots and do stupid things. _But… _" she continued, as Elphaba chuckled quietly in agreement.

"Everyone on campus knows that you broke Fiyero's nose. So, they should know, that you are perfectly able to do the same to anyone else who should deserve it. If Andris tries something on you, punch him!" she suggested.

"You can take care of yourself Elphie, and anyone with half a brain on campus knows it."

Elphaba laughed, but was still unsure. "I don't know if I'm ready," she admitted.

"And you won't know until you try," Galinda pointed out gently. "But honestly, Elphie? I think that you didn't say 'no' outright, is a pretty good sign."

Elphaba hesitated. "You think?"

"What have you got to lose?" Galinda encouraged her. "It's only one date."

Elphaba smiled wryly. "I agreed to only one date with Fiyero too, and look how _that _turned out."

Galinda rolled her eyes. "Elphie, come on. Take a chance," she prodded.

"OK, ok," Elphaba agreed. "I'll go to dinner with Andris."

Galinda beamed and hugged her. "Yay! When is it?"

"Friday," Elphaba answered.

Galinda nodded. "Good, we have time. Now, when you tell him that you're free, _make_ _sure_ you ask where you're going," she instructed.

"It was all very well for me to chase down Fiyero and ask him for details, but I don't think Andris knows who I am."

"Who doesn't know who you are?" Elphaba asked, but got up and left the room, presumably to go find Andris.

Galinda, completely thrillified by the simple brilliance of her plan, also hurried out of the room, and headed off to find her boyfriend.

He was sitting outside in the courtyard with Teron, studying, but happily abandoned his books to greet his girlfriend.

"Hey. You look happy," he greeted her.

She sat down beside him, kissed him and nodded. "I am. I just had the most perfectly perfect plan!"

Boq was slightly wary. "Plan for what?"

She looked at him exasperated. "My plan to get Elphie and Fiyero back together, of course!" she said as though it were obvious.

Boq relaxed, he was fully on board with whatever plan that was. "Great. What is it?"

Galinda helped herself to some of Boq's chips as she explained. "Elphie got asked out today."

Teron looked up in interest. "Really? By who?"

"A junior. That guy, Andris?"

Boq raised an eyebrow. "Oh, Fiyero won't like that."

Galinda pointed at him triumphantly. "Exactly! So here's what we do, they're going out Friday night, so we have two days to somehow spread the news to Fiyero. We can't come out and tell him directly, he just has to hear it from the grapevine."

"Especially by that time, the rumour will be more serious than the reality," Teron said knowingly and Galinda nodded in agreement.

Boq looked to Galinda. "You think it'll be enough to get Fiyero to do something about it?" he asked her and she sighed.

"I hope so. Otherwise I'm invoking Plan B," she warned Boq.

"What's Plan B?" frowned Teron.

Boq rolled his eyes. "Locking Elphaba and Fiyero in a room together until they start talking," he answered.

Teron looked faintly alarmed. "Or until Elphaba kills Fiyero."

"Which is why I'm against Plan B," Boq agreed.

Galinda sniffed. "It's so hard to get good help around here," she complained.

When Teron left Boq and Galinda soon after, to give the couple some privacy, he decided to continue his studying in the library.

As he entered, he saw Nessarose there, checking out a few books.

"Hey, Nessa," he greeted her.

She wheeled her chair around and smiled. "Hello, Teron. How are you?"

"Good," he nodded. "You?"

"I'm well, thank you. What's new?"

Teron went to shrug and then remembered Galinda's plan. "Apparently, your sister has a date Friday night."

Nessa was surprised. "She does? Elphaba? With who, Fiyero?"

"No, some guy Andris or something."

"Oh. Well, good for her," Nessa said, although she couldn't quite hide her surprise. "She's been so unhappy lately…"

Teron nodded knowingly. It was no secret. "Yeah… well, I'd better go hit the books. Talk to you later, Nessa."

"Bye," she waved and left the library.

Nessa thought it was a good sign her sister was moving on, and from what she'd heard of Andris, he was a model student and a very nice young man. He certainly didn't have the reputation Fiyero had.

And after the way Fiyero had treated her sister, she deserved to move on and find someone else.

Here Galinda's plan fell apart slightly. She hadn't intended the news to reach Fiyero so quickly, but when Nessa passed Fiyero on her way to her next class, she impulsively decided to stop and pass on the news to her sister's ex-boyfriend.

"Fiyero!"

Fiyero stopped cautiously, Nessa hadn't spoken to him since he and Elphaba broke up. Not just in a show of loyalty to her older sister, but in complete disapproval of the lifestyle he'd picked up again since the breakup.

"Hi, Nessarose. How are you?"

"Fine thank you. Have you heard the news?"

Fiyero was mystified. "No, what news?"

"Elphaba's dating again. Andris, I believe."

Fiyero was stunned. "She's dating Andris? For how long?" he demanded.

Nessa shrugged. "Not too long, but I think she likes him. I just thought you should hear it from a friend, rather than the rumour mill," she explained and wheeled off before Fiyero could say anything.

Fiyero felt numb. Elphaba was dating someone? Was she happy? Was he treating her right? These questions all swirled around in his brain, but they all summed up to one core fact for Fiyero.

He had lost Elphaba. She was gone to him forever. Even if she had loved him, there was now no chance he could have her back.

And then, Fiyero decided, he _really _needed a drink.

**AN. Don't despair! This _directly _feeds into the next chapter!**

**And before anyone panics, let me remind you this story is Elphaba/Fiyero and I promised everyone a happy ending.**


	23. Chapter 23

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. Kind of a short chapter, but important. Poor Fiyero… he hasn't mastered the whole "thinking" thing.**

**And yes, this is fast. But this is because I'm so happy- I get to go home for the weekend! Yay!**

**Twenty-Three**

Elphaba had gone to see Andris and told him she was free on Friday night, and they had made their plans. She had told Galinda, but the blonde seemed a little distracted, and Elphaba wasn't sure why. But she let it go, and the two girls settled into a normal night.

Elphaba studied as Galinda read the latest fashion magazines and then they chatted as they prepared for bed. Galinda measured her hair, Elphaba rolled her eyes at her and Galinda rushed to complete any homework they had due the next day as Elphaba pointed out if she had done it earlier she'd get to bed earlier.

Galinda finally turned her light off just before eleven and Elphaba did the same not too long after, carefully placing her bookmark within the pages of the book she was currently reading.

"Night, Elphie."

Galinda almost sounded half asleep already and Elphaba smiled as she rolled over, closing her own eyes. "Goodnight, Glin."

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_

Elphaba and Galinda jolted awake almost simultaneously.

"Elphie, what's going on?" Galinda asked sleepily.

Elphaba squinted at the clock, and groaned to see it was three am. "Someone's at the door, I think," she groaned, turning on the lamp beside her bed.

Galinda sat up, her eyes wide. "Is someone trying to break in?" she asked, terrified.

Elphaba sighed patiently, reaching for her robe. "Glin, generally if people are breaking in, they don't knock. Or they're not very good thieves."

"Elphie, you're not going to answer it, are you?" Galinda demanded.

_Bang! Bang!_

"I don't think they're going away," Elphaba pointed out. "Although who in Oz's name would be here at this time of night-"

_Bang! Bang! Bang! _"Fae?"

Elphaba stilled and closed her eyes. "And that answers _that_ question," she muttered.

She was tempted not to answer, but she really didn't think Fiyero had any intention of leaving.

Steeling herself, she glanced over at Galinda, who was scrambling out of bed for her own robe, before answering the door.

"What are you doing here, Fiyero?" she demanded.

Fiyero was almost blind drunk. He could barely stand up straight, his words were slurring slightly, and he reeked of alcohol.

"Fae! Fae, I have to talk to you!"

Elphaba's mouth tightened. "Whatever you've got to say Fiyero, I'm sure I don't want to hear it."

"No! I have to tell you!" Fiyero insisted fervently, his voice rising.

"Shh!" Elphaba hissed quickly. "Keep your voice _down!_ If Morrible finds you here, she'll _kill _you."

"I don't care!" Fiyero replied. "Fae, please, please, please talk to me?"

"Fiyero, go to bed," Elphaba snapped and made to close the door.

Fiyero looked panic-stricken and he held out his hands to stop the door from closing.

"_No!_ Fae, I love you!"

Elphaba froze, the door halfway shut. Galinda gasped in shock, her eyes wide. When she had wanted Fiyero to talk to Elphaba, this wasn't exactly what she had in mind.

Slowly, Elphaba opened the door again and looked at Fiyero.

"What are you talking about?" she demanded.

"I love you," Fiyero repeated, his eyes focusing on her face with difficulty. "I am so, so in love with you. And I'm so sorry for what I did, I _never _should have broken up with you. But I got scared. Because you are the only girl I've ever loved and it scared me, because I didn't think I was ready to be in love and to settle down. But I am, I am, I promise you. Because I don't want to lose you, and I don't want you dating anyone else!"

"That's rich, coming from you," Elphaba retorted hotly, her temper flaring. She didn't know what to make of Fiyero's speech, but she was furious Fiyero had the nerve to say he didn't want her dating anyone else when he was at the OzDust every night, hooking up with every girl there.

Fiyero stepped forward and she leaned back slightly from the overwhelming scent of alcohol on his breath and clothes.

"I _never _slept with any of them," he said, quietly and seriously. "Never. I couldn't, because all I could see was your face. I love you. I love you so much, Fae. And I'm sorry, so sorry."

Elphaba just stared at him for a long moment. There was an earnest look in his eyes, but seeing it made Elphaba's heart sting painfully.

"Tell me that when you're sober, and maybe I'll listen," she said finally and shut the door, locking it behind her.

Fiyero knocked on the door a few more times, calling out "I'm sorry" and "I love you" through the door.

Elphaba sat there, curled up on the end of her bed the whole time, just staring at the door and her face blank.

Eventually, Fiyero fell silent and they heard footsteps heading away from the door and towards the stairs.

Galinda didn't know what to say, but eventually she broke the silence.

"Elphie?"

"Can you _believe _him?" Elphaba demanded, her voice shaking slightly.

Galinda's honest answer was yes, but she figured that wasn't what Elphaba wanted to hear.

"It sounded like he meant it," she said carefully.

She snorted. "He's drunk. He'd say anything."

"But it _could_ be true," Galinda pointed out.

Elphaba looked at her sharply. "Do you know something, Galinda?"

"No," Galinda protested, a little too quickly.

"I just think… isn't there that old saying about people saying the truth when they're under the influence of drugs and alcohol?" Galinda covered.

Elphaba was thoughtful. "I don't know, maybe. That doesn't mean it's the truth though, or that I'm interested in his apologies. It's been a month, Galinda! Why now? Why has it taken him a _month _to apologise?" she demanded.

Galinda shrugged innocently. "Maybe something happened and he couldn't avoid it anymore?"

"Like _what?" _Elphaba demanded. "Nothing's changed, except-"

She stopped mid-sentence and turned to her roommate. "Galinda, did you tell Fiyero about my date with Andris?" she asked quietly.

"No!" Galinda replied honestly, and then she grimaced apologetically. "I _may _have told Boq," she admitted and Elphaba rolled her eyes.

"Galinda! Did _Boq _tell Fiyero?"

"I don't think so," Galinda replied, also honestly. "But you know how news travels around campus, Elphie."

Elphaba sighed frustratedly.

"Are you going to talk to him now?" Galinda asked hopefully.

"Yes, and if he told Fiyero, I'll wring his little Munchkin neck-" Elphaba said fiercely, and Galinda cut her off.

"I mean _Fiyero, _Elphie. And less of the threats against my boyfriend, please," she scolded lightly.

"Why would I talk to Fiyero?" Elphaba asked.

Galinda rolled her eyes. "Because you _love _him. And he just said he loves you! And he misses you, and I _know _you miss him, and he did apologise."

Elphaba sighed. "Galinda, he was stone drunk. Come morning, he probably won't even remember this. And yes, he apologised but… maybe it's too late for that. He really hurt me. The fact I love him isn't enough, no matter how much he drunkenly swears he loves me."

"You told him to say it when he was sober," Galinda pointed out.

"I also said I _might_ listen," Elphaba retorted. "That doesn't mean anything."

Galinda made to protest, but Elphaba took off her robe and climbed back into bed.

"I'm going back to sleep. Goodnight, Galinda."

She shut off the light and rolled over. Left sitting on her bed in the darkness, Galinda sighed.

"Goodnight, Elphie."

Galinda climbed back into bed and lay down. She rolled her eyes in the darkness that of _course _Fiyero would choose to talk to Elphaba and reveal the truth about their breakup while he was drunk off his face.

But she wondered whether Elphaba was right. Was it too late for them, even with an apology and if they both knew the other loved them and missed them?

Galinda hoped not, but she wasn't sure. But she didn't know that Elphaba was lying awake on the other side of the room, wondering the exact same thing.

**AN. On a random note, does anyone ever look back at their one-shots and feel sorry for them because they have so small amount of reviews? I just want to hug them! **

**Although it's not just one shots... my early Wicked ones are the same, haha. Is it just me or is that normal? **


	24. Chapter 24

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. I'm home for the weekend and so happy! So it works well, because i love this chapter!**

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

The next day Elphaba had retreated to _the Wilted Rose _to study. She was sitting at her and Fiyero's old table, trying to concentrate on finishing her Life Sciences assignment. It was due in a week, and she was almost finished, she just wanted to be sure it was absolutely perfect and all to the best of her ability.

She was frowning over a sentence she'd written, wondering if it made as much sense on the paper as it did in her head, when a shadow fell over her work.

Looking up, faintly startled, she saw Fiyero standing there, looking surprisingly not hung over and rather sheepish.

"Hi."

"Hi," she replied, somewhat distracted as her thoughts remained solely on her essay. Impulsively, she held her essay out to him. "Can you read this sentence and see if it makes sense?"

Fiyero blinked in surprise, but sat down opposite her, took the essay and read the sentence she'd indicated a few times through.

"Yeah, that makes sense," he agreed, handing it back to her. Well, he'd understood it anyway, and he wasn't the most academic person, was he?

"Great. I have to go," she said, and began gathering all her papers.

She had an idea why Fiyero had come to talk to her and she wasn't sure yet if she wanted to hear it or what it meant.

Fiyero looked stricken. "Now? Can I talk to you first?"

"No," she refused, standing up.

Fiyero jumped up too. "Please, Fae? Just let me talk to you for five minutes?" he begged.

Elphaba was uncomfortable. "I really have to go," she insisted, avoiding his gaze.

"Please, Fae? I'll walk with you," he offered and Elphaba gave in, knowing he wouldn't.

"Fine. Five minutes," she agreed reluctantly.

They walked outside and headed towards Suicide Canal. It was the first real spring-like day they'd had, and it was actually reasonably warm.

When they reached the canal, in silence, Elphaba sat down on a large boulder near the water and looked up at Fiyero expectantly, waiting for him to speak.

"Can you please just wait until I'm finished before you say anything?" he asked.

"Fine," she agreed.

Fiyero restlessly began pacing back and forth before her and took a deep breath. He knew he'd have to explain every action since the day they'd met, so he wanted to be able to get it all out without interruptions.

"The day we first actually met, that morning I came to visit you in the hospital," he began. "I was… completely confusified by you. You didn't buy any of my crap, and you had no interest in me at all… you made it very clear that you weren't going to be impressed by any of my lines or anything."

"And at first… getting you to try and talk to me was like a challenge," he admitted. "Because you were so sure of yourself, and I was sure that eventually you'd give in. But the more time I spent with you, the more I liked you. Eventually, I realised you weren't going to give in and I decided to give up."

He smiled faintly at the memory. "And then you spoke to me, and you said all that stuff about my attitude and how it was all an act… and you were the first person to ever call me on it. And by then, I knew I wanted to go out with you. I could see that you were beautiful, and smart and funny…"

Elphaba was keeping to her word about not interrupting, but Fiyero almost wished she _would _interrupt, just because her silence was a little unnerving. Nevertheless, he continued.

"When we were dating… I meant it when I said that I'd thought about sleeping with you, but it was never my _aim, _and not for the reasons it probably sounded like when you asked me. I wasn't ready for the question and I didn't explain myself very well," he admitted.

He stopped his pacing and knelt down before her on the ground, making sure she met his gaze before he spoke again.

"Elphaba, you're so beautiful. You _are_," he insisted before she could protest that point. "You are beautiful and you're funny and smart, and confident… but when it comes to your own beauty and your skin, you're so insecure. And I get that, I really do. But that's why I never tried to sleep with you. You told me it wasn't going to happen and I wouldn't rush you for something like that. It wasn't because of your skin that I didn't want to sleep with you, it's because of your skin I never pushed you," he explained.

Elphaba lowered her eyes, still saying nothing. But Fiyero was hopeful at least, _this _time, he'd explained it right.

"I don't know exactly when I fell in love with you," he said, staring intently at her face. "I only realised it at Galinda's birthday party, and… it scared me, Fae."

Fiyero desperately wanted Elphaba to understand how much the realisation had scared him and why, but he wasn't sure he had the words to explain.

"In one moment, without me even realising it, you'd become _everything," _he stressed. "I could picture our entire lives together, marrying you and having kids and everything… and I'd never wanted any of that. And I didn't realise that I did want it, until I pictured it with you. And that scared me."

Elphaba had closed her eyes and had her head down, and Fiyero wasn't sure what that meant.

But he pressed forward.

"I tried. I tried to get over it," he said quietly. "Because I didn't want to lose you. I didn't want to break up. I thought eventually, I'd get over being afraid and everything would be fine. But I didn't, and then you asked what was wrong-"

Elphaba finally interrupted, her head came up fast and her eyes flashed. "You're saying this is _my _fault?" she demanded.

"No!" Fiyero said hastily. "No, I'm not. Because it's not your fault."

"I'm not proud of it," he said honestly. "If I could do it differently, I wouldn't run, I'd talk to you about it. But I was scared, so I ran."

Fiyero wished they could forget what had come after that, because he was even less proud of his actions in the past month since their breakup.

He sighed and moved to sit on the boulder next to her. She didn't move to push him into the canal, so he hoped that was a good sign.

"I didn't handle losing you very well," he said quietly. "And I know that's an understatement and it's not an excuse, but it's true. I know what people are saying, and I wish I could say it wasn't true… I don't think it's _all _true, but I don't remember all of it, exactly," he admitted.

"And I'm not a hundred per cent sure what I told you last night… or this morning, technically, but I didn't… I never slept with any of those girls. And I hated every minute of it, because none of them were you."

Elphaba looked away. She didn't want to hear about this and she didn't want to have to think about Fiyero with other girls.

"And last night?" she asked him quietly.

Fiyero winced. "Yeah, about that... I'm sorry. It was probably a dumb idea, but I wasn't exactly thinking clearly. I just... I heard about..." Fiyero didn't want to say it, but he swallowed and forced himself to say the words "About your date, and I just... I thought that was it."

Elphaba frowned hesitantly, not understanding, and Fiyero tried to explain.

"I wanted to talk to you, I did, for a while now. I knew I owed you an explanation, and I wanted to apologise and say everything and see... see if we still stood a chance. But I kept putting it of, finding reasons not to. I thought you hated me, and wanted nothing to do with me, and I have this stupid habit of saying things that hurt you whenever I tried before... it's why I came to talk to you in the library that day. But when I heard about you and that Andris guy... I thought I'd lost you for sure. And I couldn't bear the thought of that. Fae..." he trailed off, but she still wasn't looking at him.

"Fae… I miss you. I miss you so much," Fiyero said miserably.

When she turned to look at him and he saw the tears in her eyes he felt awful.

But she was there, so close to him and looking as beautiful as ever. He couldn't help himself. This was the closest he'd been to her in a month, and he missed her. He leaned forward and kissed her desperately, deeper than Elphaba could ever remember him kissing her before. Elphaba kissed him back without hesitating, with just as much passion; her hands resting on his chest as he kissed her until neither of them could breathe. And if felt right, it felt like the last month had never happened. And Elphaba could have cried.

"I love you, Elphaba," he whispered, when he finally pulled away.

"I know, I know I screwed up and I know I hurt you. And I'm not saying I'm not scared anymore, but I'm not as scared. Because being without you… not having you in my life… that's scarier."

Elphaba was torn. On one hand, everything Fiyero was saying made her want to kiss him again and take him back and promise they could work everything out. But on the other hand, she was so confusified, remembering the hurt and betrayal she'd felt for the past month.

"Yero…" she began, and Fiyero's heart leapt hopefully. "You really hurt me," she whispered.

"I know. I'm so sorry," Fiyero replied.

"And I'm sorry I broke your nose," she continued, choking on a sob and tears spilled down her cheek.

Fiyero grinned, and risked kissing her again. "It's okay. I deserved it," he admitted. "I was jealous."

Elphaba looked down at her hands. "Fiyero, I just… I don't know… there's so much that's happened, I don't know if we can work through it."

"We can," he said immediately, catching her hands in his. "It'll take time, but we can. Together. Elphaba… Fae, _please. _I'll make it up to you, I swear. I'll be the best boyfriend ever," he pleaded.

She swallowed hard. "I need to think about this, I can't give you an answer right now," she said honestly.

Fiyero nodded. He didn't want to push her, or she might give an answer he didn't want to hear.

"That's fine. Just please think about it?" he asked and she nodded.

"I'll think about it," she agreed.

Fiyero kissed her one last time, and then stood up. "Ok. I'll let you think then. You know where to find me."

Elphaba's lips still tingled where Fiyero's had touched her, and she ran her fingers through her hair, trying to think. She knew if she went and talked to Galinda, her roommate would most definitely persuade her to give Fiyero another chance.

Elphaba wanted to be able to make this decision on her own, but she had too many conflicting thoughts and feelings going around her brain to be able to sort them out on her own.

Wiping the last few tears from her eyes, she headed off to find Galinda.

The blonde had just returned from yet another shopping trip, and was now trying to fit all her new purchases into her already very full closet.

"Oh, good you're here," Elphaba said in relief as she entered the room.

Galinda grinned over her shoulder. "It's good to see me, isn't it?" she said and Elphaba rolled her eyes.

"Glin, I need your advice."

Galinda whirled around immediately. "Fashion advice?" she asked hopefully.

Elphaba stared at her. "Fiyero advice," she corrected.

Galinda's face lit up and she bounced onto her bed. "Ooh, even better. Ok, go!"

Elphaba sighed and sat down beside her. "He remembered enough from this morning to come talk to me."

Galinda was hopeful. "And?" she pressed.

"He wants to get back together," Elphaba confirmed her suspicions.

Galinda resisted the urge to jump up and down and clap her hands… she may have subconsciously bounced once or twice in excitement, but Elphaba ignored it.

"And you said?"

"That I needed to think about it," Elphaba replied and Galinda's heart fell.

"_What? _Why? What is there to think about? You love him, don't you?"

"Yes," Elphaba admitted.

"So what's the problem?" Galinda demanded hotly.

"The problem is… what if we can't work it out? I can't do through this again," she said tiredly.

"Elphie, he ran because he was scared, right?" Galinda pointed out. "So, don't let him run next time. Make him stay and talk it out. I know a lot's happened between you two, but I think you can work it out."

Elphaba was still hesitant.

"Elphie, if you don't take him back just because you're scared it'll fall apart again, isn't that really the same thing he did?" Galinda asked gently.

Elphaba looked at her roommate in shock. "Where did that come from?" she asked in surprise.

Galinda was confused. "Why? Was it the wrong thing to say?" she asked apprehensively.

Elphaba hugged her. "No, Glin," she laughed. "It was exactly the right thing to say."

Galinda beamed. "OK then. So, do you know what you're going to do now?" she asked.

Elphaba nodded slowly. "I think so. I just need to mull it over in my head for a bit, okay?"

Galinda nodded and Elphaba went to have a shower, hoping the hot water and steam would clear her head and give her some perspective.

**AN. Poor Elphaba. She does love him and miss him… she's just conflicted. **


	25. Chapter 25

**DISCLAIMER: _Wicked _is not my creation or property.**

**AN. Ordinarily, this is where I apologise for the delay in updating, even though really I update faster than most people. But not this time. Only a few hours after I posted the last chapter, my grandfather died, so understandably, writing/posting wasn't my main priority. It just felt really weird to update... like it would mean life is returning to normal, when I am reminded every few hours that nothing is normal anymore. **

**But it is to my Grandad I would like to dedicate this chapter- even though he never read anything that I wrote like this. RIP Grandad.**

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Fiyero was sitting in his usual spot in History the next morning, completely distracted. He hadn't seen or heard from Elphaba since they'd spoken the day before and he was wondering how much time she'd need to think things through.

He didn't want to push her, but he was dying to know what decision she'd come to. But here it was, five minutes until class started and neither Elphaba or Galinda had arrived yet. That wasn't too unusual for Galinda, but for Elphaba it was odd, and Fiyero wanted to know if that was a good sign or a bad sign.

_Four minutes…._

More and more people were beginning to enter the classroom now, taking their seats and chattering to their neighbours as they unpacked their things.

"Hey, Tiggular!" Finor called across to him from a few rows back. "Didn't see you at the OzDust last night!"

"Nope, I was busy," he called back.

Granted, he'd spent his evening sitting in his room trying to distract himself in case Elphaba turned up to give her decision, but Finor didn't have to know that.

In Fiyero's mind, that was the most important thing.

_Three minutes…_

Dr Dillamond arrived now, greeted a few students and began to open his briefcase to set up for that days lecture.

Nessa wheeled into the room, her chair, to Fiyero's surprise, being pushed by Teron. When he sat next to her, Fiyero wondered whether something was going on between the two of them.

He kind of hoped so. Teron was a nice guy and Nessa was very sweet, if a little too _proper _at times.

_Two minutes…_

Boq and Galinda entered the room together, holding hands and talking quietly. Galinda was giggling and Fiyero smiled slightly, but the sight of them made him a little sad.

They had started dating only a few days after he and Elphaba had, and if it weren't for Fiyero, that could have been him and Elphaba now.

_But_, he realised, and sat up straighter in expectation. Galinda was Elphaba's roommate, which meant she couldn't be far behind.

_One minute…_

With a mere minute to spare, Elphaba slipped into the classroom. She was wearing a simple black dress, and her hair was in a tiny braid.

No one gave her any real attention, most of the girls were still ignoring her since she had broken Fiyero's nose. Fiyero watched her eagerly, to see if she would give him any sign or indication.

She headed for her usual seat in the front row, where she'd sat for the past month, and Fiyero's heart sank.

But then she kept walking. And _finally,_ people started noticing her. More and more watched as she made her way back up to where Fiyero was sitting in the fourth row back and put her bag down, as she sat in the seat beside him.

Fiyero held his breath, hoping it meant what he thought it did, but not daring to believe it until she actually gave him a sign.

As though reading his mind, once she'd unpacked her books and pen, and had set them atop the desk ready to take notes as soon as Dr Dillamond began speaking; she reached over and slid her emerald hand into Fiyero's.

His heart swelled and he felt an overwhelming wave of relief and giddiness. Not wanting to make a big deal of it- yet, anyway, he'd wait until they were out of class, he lifted her hand up to his mouth and kissed the back of it hard, trying to convey the relief he felt into the gesture.

He could practically feel her blush, but she gently squeezed his hand and he lowered their still joined hands to rest on the desk.

Dr Dillamond was ignorant to the whispers that were filling his classroom and quickly called the class to order and began speaking.

Elphaba's attention immediately went to the lesson and to writing notes, but Fiyero was too happy.

He quickly scrawled a note and subtly slipped it onto Elphaba's page. He didn't expect her to reply, she never had before, but it was only a few moments later when the slip of paper reappeared on his desk.

With a sideway glance at her, he unfolded it. There on one side was his original message,

_I love you._

Hastily, he flipped it over to see her reply.

_I love you too. Now pay attention, we need to know this for finals._

Fiyero grinned.

**The End**

**AN. There is an alternate ending/ sequel (however you want to see it) posted separately! Titled "Three Leaps Ahead."**


End file.
